Influence of Gender Stereotyping on Achievement in Basic Science among Upper Basic School Students

The study examined the influence of gender stereotyping on achievement in Basic Science among Upper Basic Education School UBES students in Toto LGA Nasarawa State Nigeria The study was a descriptive survey design The population of the study consisted of all the public upper basic III students The study employed a sample size of 300 students drawn from the population using simple random sampling A researcher designed questionnaire titled Gender Based Questionnaire on Students Achievement in Basic Science GBQSABS was used for data collection Data was analysed employing descriptive statistics to answer the research question while Chi Square statistics was used to test the research hypothesis at alpha 0 05 The finding of the study show that gender stereotyping has no significant influence on students achievement in Basic Scienc

GIS-Based Assessment of Smallholder Farmers’ Perception of Climate Change Impacts and Their Adaptation Strategies for Maize Production in Anambra State, Nigeria

The production of Zea mays (otherwise called maize or corn), which is an important staple food crop in Nigeria, is limited by the impacts of climate change; thus, posing food insecurity in the country. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the perception of smallholders’ maize farmers on climate variability; and, their climate change adaptations practices in Anambra State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique and structure questionnaires were applied to this study. Collected data were analyzed using both descriptive/ inferential statistics, together with a simple technique of geographic information system (GIS). The results show that, approximately 57.2% of climate variability negatively impacts on maize production in the study area. Basically flooding (ׯ = 2.02 ± 1.166), erratic rainfall (ׯ = 2.02 ± 0.816), and decrease in crop yield by strange pests and diseases (ׯ = 1.59 ± 0.896) affect maize production. The well-informed farmers practice some climate change adaptations techniques such as: planting of grasses to prevent erosion, and, use of improved maize seeds to withstand environmental stress. In conclusion, the lower the standard deviation values, the more knowledgeable the farmers were about issues of climate variability and on climate change adaptations practices; and, vice-versa

Penetrating abdominal injuries in children: a study of 33 cases

Background: Trauma is gradually becoming a major cause of disability and it can be of any form, physical or emotional. For the surgeon the physical form is of major interest, especially its causes and incidence, which can be influenced by environmental or social factors.Aim: The aim of this work was to study the incidence, etiology, principles of management and outcome of children with penetrating abdominal injuries.Materials and methods: This was a 2-year prospective study of 33 children aged 0–15 years with penetrating abdominal injuries at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in northeast Nigeria. Information obtained included the following: the patient’s biodata, mechanism of injury, time of presentation to the Accident and Emergency Department after the injury, haemodynamic status at presentation, presence or absence of abdominal organ evisceration, presence or absence of associated injuries, the timing of surgery, intraoperative findings, the type of surgical procedure and outcome.Results: Thirty-three (31.4%) children [of whom 24 (i.e. 72.7%) were from the rural areas] of 105 children with trauma-related injuries had penetrating abdominal injuries. The male : female ratio was 3 : 1, and the mean age ± SD was 2.30± 0.81 years. There were 15 (45.4%) children with gunshot wounds, 11 (33.3%) with bomb blast wounds, three (9.1%) with impalement injuries and two (6.1%) with arrow injuries. Fourteen (42.4%) patients had abdominal organ evisceration; of them, nine were as a result of gunshot injuries. Routine exploratory laparotomy was carried out in all 33 patients. Seven (21.2%) were operated on with simultaneous resuscitation in the immediate laparotomy group, and 26 (78.8%) underwent delayed laparotomy. There was a negative laparotomy in four (12.1%) patients, two of whom had only omental evisceration with no other accompanying visceral injuries, and two without evisceration. Three (9.1%) patients died after developing enterocutaneous fistula, compartment syndrome and sepsis.Conclusion: There were more cases of penetrating abdominal injuries among boys and children from the rural areas than in those from urban areas.Keywords: evisceration, exploratory laparotomy, penetrating abdominal injur

Prevalence of Patients Living with HIV/AIDS with Their CD4+ Counts in Some Hospitals in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

This study was conducted over a period of nine months on the prevalence of HIV and the CD4+ counts among women attending selected Hospitals (Dr Musa Inuwa, General, Clinic A, IBB, and Clinic B hospitals) in Minna. A total of 500 patients were screened. Questionnaires were used to gather relevant data on sampled patients. Cyflow counter and Hematology analyzer were used to determine CD4+ and  hematological parameters (Hb and WBC). Of the 500 samples, 408 tested negative while 92 tested positive, translating to a prevalence rate of 18.4%. The age group 25 – 34 years had the highest number of cases under HIV positive pregnant women (67.7%). The CD4+ count was shown to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower in HIV positive pregnant women not on ART (146.17 ± 29.52 cell/μL), while HIV negative non-pregnant women had the highest count of 978.26 ± 13.00 cell/μL. The mean Hemoglobin concentration was similarly significantly lower in women that are HIV positive, pregnant but not on ART (7.95 ± 0.61 g/dL) while those not pregnant and HIV negative (11.90 ± 0.12 g/dL). However, the WBC count was significantly higher in HIV positive non-pregnant women on ART (22.21±2.74 ×109/L). The prevalence of HIV within the sampled hospitals is very high with the various factors showing close associations. It is then recommended that government and non-government organizations should intensify efforts to enlighten the populace on the need for HIV screening

Pattern of Pelvic Ultrasound Request and Findings in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi

Background: Pelvic ultrasonography involves the evaluation of pelvic organs and structures. It is valuable in the diagnosis of pathological conditions which are likely causes of pelvic pain.Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the pattern of pelvic ultrasound request and findings in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the radiology department of ATBUTH. A total of 1,320 ultrasonography records of patients for pelvic examination were reviewed from January 2016 to February 2017,and tabulated according to age, sex, clinical indication and ultrasound findings. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 to determine the mean, frequency and percentages. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between clinical indication and ultrasound findings.Results: The age group of 21-30 years and 31- 40 years had the highest frequency (n = 627, 47.5 %) and (n = 321, 24.3%), respectively. Gender distribution were 1158 (87.7 %), for females and 162 (12.3 %) for males. Pelvic pain had the highest indication, 72.3% (n = 955), followed by PID, 9.2% (n = 121), then BPH, 3.4% (n=45) and, ovarian cyst, 2.7 % (n = 36). Conclusion: The highest indication and findings are pelvic pain and pelvic inflammatory diseases, among females while benign prostatic hypertrophy was the highest in males

Establishment of local Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) for radiography examinations in north eastern Nigeria

Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) is an essential optimization tool in radiography and radiological sciences. The objective of the study is to establish DRL for radiography examinations in north eastern Nigeria. A Prospective cross- sectional study conducted in two university teaching hospitals in north eastern Nigeria. Seven hundred and fifty (750) patients were considered for the study. Thermoluminiscent dosimeter (TLD) chips were exposed for each examination. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between the dose and anthropotechnical parameters. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. The DRL for PA chest x-ray and lateral were 0.59 mGy and 1.02 mGy, PA skull x-ray and lateral skull x-ray were 1.02 mGy and 1.01 mGy. The DRL for PA elbow and lateral elbow are 0.57 mGy and 1.77mGy. AP shoulder x-ray and lateral were 0.71 mGy and 0.83 mGy The DRL for dorsi-plantar foot and dorsi-plantar oblique foot were 0.58 mGy and 0.61 mGy .AP dorsal spine x-ray and lateral dorsal spine are 1.03 mGy and 1.09 mGy. AP cervical spine and lateral were 0.62 mGy and0.79 mGy. Lumbosacral spine AP and lateral was 1.22 mGy and 1.59 mGy. AP wrist, lateral wrist, AP knee, lateral knee, Abdominal x-ray, pelvic x-ray, hand dorsi-palmar ,hand dorsi-palmar oblique and dental x-ray were 0.52mGy,0.87mGy, 0.50mGy, 0.50 mGy, 0.91 mGy, 1.01 mGy, 0.82 mGy,0.28 mGy, 0.83 mGy and 0.46 mGy respectively. DRLs in this work recorded lower values compared to international established work. Regular dose optimization etiquette’s are required to ensure good practice.Keywords: Diagnostic reference levels, Radiography, Thermoluminiscent dosimeter, Dental, x-rays, Entrance skin dos

A review on gene pyramiding of agronomic, biotic and abiotic traits in rice variety development

Rice Oryza sativa L is a staple food crop, and its seeds are the most important component part of the agronomic trait of the cereal crop, rich in nutrient and of economic value to human and even livestock. But, it is often threatened by various abiotic and biotic conditions that reduce the yield, because of high incidences of infectious disease agents and non-pathogenic conditions respectively. Pyramiding of the requisite resistance and tolerance genes into single elite high yielding variety of rice, confers wider spectrum of stress management, resulting to development of single multiline variety of rice. Marker-assisted selection utilizes DNA marker-linked primers for blast resistant gene (RM8225;Piz, RM6836;Piz, Pi2,Pi9), bacteria leaf blight (RM224; Xa-4, RM122;xa-5, RG136; xa-13, RM21;Xa-21) and drought tolerance (RM236;qDTY2.2, RM520;qDTY3.1, RM511;qDTY12.1) in pedigree, backcross and recurrent selection breeding methods. The objectives are to create awareness on the environmental safety of host-resistance, significance of single multiline resistance variety, effect of the interaction of stress conditions and associated simple sequence repeat (SSR) linked markers

EFFECTS OF DIETARY Moringa oleifera LEAF MEAL AS A REPLACEMENT FOR SOYBEAN MEAL ON GROWTH, BODY COMPOSITION AND HEALTH STATUS IN Cyprinus carpio JUVENILES

U radu je istraživana učinkovitost rasta, iskoristivost hranjivih tvari i zdravstveno stanje šarana Cyprinus carpio hranjenih različitim razinama brašna listova moringe Moringa oleifera kao hranidbene zamjenice za sojino brašno. Izrađeno je šest izo-dušičnih hranidbenih smjesa s postotnom zamjenom sirovih proteina od 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% i 50% brašnom listova moringe. Mlađ šarana (n=360; W=8.12±0.21 g) su razdijeljeni u 18 hapasa (1m3) te su hranjeni hranidbenim smjesama u omjeru od 5% ukupne mase tijela ribe. Rezultati su ukazali kako riba hranjena smjesom s razinom zamjene sirovog proteina od 30% ima značajno bolju završnu masu, prirast, specifičnu stopu rasta, omjer proteinske učinkovitosti i omjer pretvorbe hrane, dok su stope preživljavanja nisu bile značajno različite. Također, značajno su poboljšane hematološke, biokemijske i imunološke reakcije riba hranjene smjesama s zamjenom Moringa oleifera. Rezultati upućuju i na to da je viša razina zamjene moringom moguća, ali je i mogući utjecaj na rast ribe i ekonomsku isplativost. Brašno lišća moringe Moringa oleifera može biti korišten za zamjenu 30% sirovog proteina sojinog brašna u hranidbi mlađi šarana Cyprinus carpio.The growth performance, nutrient utilization and health status of Cyprinus carpio fed various levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal as a replacement for soybean meal was investigated. Six isonitrogenous diets were formulated with Moringa oleifera leaf meal at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% or 50% crude protein replacement. The diets were fed to the fish at 5% body weight to 360 Cyprinus carpio juveniles (8.12±0.21 g) allotted to 18 happas (1 m3) in a completely randomized design for 12 weeks. The results revealed that crude protein replacement levels of 30% had significantly better final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio, while survival rates were not significantly different. Also, haematological, biochemical and immune responses of the fish fed Moringa oleifera leaf meal fortified diets were significantly improved. The results further suggest that higher inclusion replacement is possible but opined that, for growth and economic consideration, Moringa oleifera leaf meal could be used to replace 30% crude protein of soybean in the diet of Cyprinus carpio juveniles