Growth Performance, Carcass and Organ Characteristics of Pullets Fed Plantain Ash Supplemented Commercial Diets

The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of different plantain ash sources (plantain root base ash (PRA) and plantain stalk ash (PSA) supplementation on the performance of pullets fed commercial diets. Ninety six Isa brown pullets aged 15 weeks were therefore used to assess the effect of supplementing commercial diets with plantain root base (PRA) and stalk ashes (PSA) on growth performance, carcass and organ characteristics of pullets during 4 weeks before point of laying (19 weeks of age) and 6 weeks of laying period (25 weeks of age). The pullets were divided into two groups of 48 each for supplementation with either PSA or PRA. Each group was divided into four groups of 12, which were further replicated 3 times with 4 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. At each developmental stage, the feed offered to the birds was supplemented with 0 (control), 1, 2, and 3 g/kg body weight of PSA or PRA. One g/kgBW of PRA supplementation elicited observable growth performance effects on the birds, while for PSA it was 2 g/kgBW. The 2 g/kgBW PSA supplemented birds gained significantly (P<0.05) more weight than the other groups except the control, which consumed significantly (P<0.05) more feed. At point of laying, the 1g/kgBW PRA group recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher body weight and weight gain than the control. Plantain root base ash affected dressing percentage significantly (P<0.05) resulting in higher thigh weights, while organ weights decreased with increasing ash supplementation levels. Plantain ash therefore has positive effect on growth and edible carcass cut. Key words: plantain ash, pullets, feed, carcas

Assessing audience’s willingness to curb digital piracy: A gender perspective

Rising incidences of piracy in the entertainment/creative industry in Nigeria are increasing concerns about the sustainability of the industry and the livelihood of content creators. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) aims to end poverty at all levels and in all places by the year 2030, but this goal faces a challenge if personal and corporate investments of moviemakers are lost to piracy. Studies have shown that profit-seeking pirates are not the only ones who do damage to the industry, but end-users also share unauthorised digital contents. The purpose of this research is to investigate the connection between gender and willingness of the audience, who in this case are undergraduate students of a government-owned university in Lagos, to see piracy curbed. Multistage sampling was used to cluster the population into faculties and departments. A sample of 199 was selected purposively based on the respondents’ knowledge of digital piracy, and a 20-item questionnaire was used for data gathering. Using t-test to analyse the data, the result shows that there was no significant difference between the views of female and male respondents. Cohen’s d analysis also indicates that there is a negligible effect size. While respondents participated in digital file-sharing, they did not consider their stoppage of the habit relevant to curbing piracy in Nigeria. Hence, the study recommends proper enlightenment of end-users to understand their significant role in digital piracy

Evaluation of Current Knowledge, Awareness and Practice of Spirometry among Hospital -based Nigerian Doctors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spirometry is a cost-effective diagnostic tool for evaluation of lung function and for case-finding in a resource-limited setting. The acceptance of this test depends on the awareness of its indications and the ability to interpret the results. No studies have assessed the knowledge of spirometry among Nigerian doctors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current knowledge, awareness and practice of spirometry among hospital-based Nigerian doctors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We carried out a cross-sectional survey among 321 doctors working in Nigerian hospitals between March 2008 and June 2008. Information on knowledge, awareness, practice of and barriers to spirometry were obtained using a pre-tested, self-administered structured questionnaire and the data were then analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 321 doctors that participated, 108 (33.6%) reported that they have good knowledge of spirometry. One hundred and ninety-five (60.7%) were aware of the importance of spirometry in aiding the diagnosis of respiratory diseases; 213(66.4%) were aware of the importance of spirometry in determining the severity of diseases. Medical school was the most common source of knowledge on spirometry (64.5%). Eighty-one (25.2%) doctors reported having a spirometer in their hospitals. Doctors having access to a spirometer used it more frequently for aiding the diagnosis of COPD (40.7% vs.27.5%) and for monitoring of asthma (18.5% vs.11.3%) than those without access to a spirometer. The doctors working in University Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres (FMC) (22.4% vs. 4.5%) and those having access to a spirometer (40.7 vs.11.3%) were very confident of interpreting spirometry results compared to those working in District and General Hospitals and without access to a spirometer. Irrespective of access to a spirometer or the type of hospital they were employed in, doctors reported that unavailability of a spirometer was the greatest barrier to its use (62.5%) followed by lack of awareness about its usefulness (17.2%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The knowledge and practice of spirometry were poor among hospital-based Nigerian doctors because of unavailability of spirometers in most hospitals. These findings have implications for further evaluation, planning and management of patient care in respiratory disease. Spirometers should be made available in all hospitals, and the knowledge of spirometry should be improved among doctors.</p

A four-surface schematic eye of macaque monkey obtained by an optical method

AbstractSchematic eyes for four Macaca fascicularis monkeys were constructed from measurements of the positions and curvatures of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the cornea and lens. All of these measurements were obtained from Scheimpflug photography through the use of a ray-tracing analysis. Some of these measurements were also checked (and confirmed) by keratometry and ultrasound. Gaussian lens equations were applied to the measured dimensions of each individual eye in order to construct schematic eyes. The mean total power predicted by the schematic eyes agreed closely with independent measurements based on retinoscopy and ultrasound results, 74.2 ± 1.3 (SEM) vs 74.7 ± 0.3 (SEM) diopters. The predicted magnification of 202 μm/deg in one eye was confirmed by direct measurement of 205 μm/deg for a foveal laser lesion. The mean foveal retinal magnification calculated for our eight schematic eyes was 211 ± (SEM) μm/deg, slightly less than the value obtained by application of the method of Rolls and Cowey [Experimental Brain Research, 10, 298–310 (1970)] to our eight eyes but just 4% more than the value obtained by application of the method of Perry and Cowey [Vision Research, 12, 1795–1810 (1985)]

A comprehensive overview of radioguided surgery using gamma detection probe technology

The concept of radioguided surgery, which was first developed some 60 years ago, involves the use of a radiation detection probe system for the intraoperative detection of radionuclides. The use of gamma detection probe technology in radioguided surgery has tremendously expanded and has evolved into what is now considered an established discipline within the practice of surgery, revolutionizing the surgical management of many malignancies, including breast cancer, melanoma, and colorectal cancer, as well as the surgical management of parathyroid disease. The impact of radioguided surgery on the surgical management of cancer patients includes providing vital and real-time information to the surgeon regarding the location and extent of disease, as well as regarding the assessment of surgical resection margins. Additionally, it has allowed the surgeon to minimize the surgical invasiveness of many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, while still maintaining maximum benefit to the cancer patient. In the current review, we have attempted to comprehensively evaluate the history, technical aspects, and clinical applications of radioguided surgery using gamma detection probe technology

Prognostic impact of pretreatment thrombocytosis in epithelial ovarian cancer

Aims: This study was aimed at investigating the prognostic impact of pretreatment thrombocytosis in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving the review of the clinical record of 72 patients with histologically confirmed EOC who were managed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria over a 7-year period from January 2010 to December 2016. Information on the sociodemographic data and platelet counts at diagnosis of EOC were retrieved from the patients' medical records. Descriptive statistics were then computed for all baseline patients' characteristics. Survival analyses were carried out using the Kaplan-Meier estimates. Multivariate analysis of these data was performed with the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: This study revealed that the prevalence of pretreatment thrombocytosis was 41.7% among the women with EOC. Fifty-three (73.6%) of the women had the advanced-stage disease (FIGO stage III-IV) while 52 (72.2%) had high-grade disease (II-III). The majority (66.7%) of the women had a serous histological type of EOC while 76.4% had documented recurrence. Pretreatment thrombocytosis was significantly associated with the women's parity (P = 0.009), serum carbohydrate antigen 125 levels (P = 0.018), median progression-free survival (PFS) (P < 0.001), 3-year median overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001), type of primary treatment (P = 0.002), extent of cytoreduction (P < 0.001), presence of ascites (P = 0.002), International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P = 0.008), and histological type (P = 0.011). Pretreatment thrombocytosis was negatively associated with PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.25; 95% CI 0.83, 0.75; P = 0.014) and 3-year OS (HR = 0.03; 95% CI 0.03, 0.27; P = 0.002). Conclusions: The study suggests that pretreatment thrombocytosis may be a useful predictor of survivals in EOC patients