Flower of paradise (Khat: Catha edulis): Psychosocial, health and sports perspectives

Flower of paradise (Catha edulis: khat), a controversial, religion and psychosocial plant grown in the countries around East to southern African and Arabian Peninsula (around the red sea). The spectrum of khat actions has been postulated to lie between amphetamines and caffeine, therefore, khat and its principal active constituents (cathinone & cathine) are categorized as amphetamine+type substances/stimulant (ATS). Presently, khat is not under international control, but, the two substances that are usually present in khat; cathinone and cathine were placed group as schedule I and IV ATS respectively. The morality and legality of khat usage by the general populace varies from country to country. However, the World Antidoping Agency and International Olympic Committee has place a limit of 54g/ml urinary cathine level in sports competition. This partial ban might not be unconnected to cathinone+cathine, ATS action. Though, many studies seem to support the negative effects of chronic khat usage on human health. However, longitudinal and quantitative data on health issues seem scanty. By and large, the need clearly exist for longitudinal and qualitative investigations on the effects of khat chewing on humans, before a conclusive statement could be established. Keywords: khat; Catha edulis; flower of paradis

Khat (Catha edulis): academic, health and psychosocial efects on “mature” students

The leaves of the plant khat (Catha edulis) are commonly chewed in certain countries of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Chewing of khat leaves has a deep-rooted religious and sociocultural tradition and has a peculiarity of certain influences on the physical, physiological and psychosocial well-being of those involved in the habit of chewing the leaves. The objective of this study was to investigate psychosocial, academic and health implications and reasons for students’ involvement in khat chewing habit. A cross-sectional survey of students aged 22 years and above was studied; Five hundred and twenty eight subjects participated. They were summer school students of Jimma University, Ethiopia. A self structured questionnaire was used in data collection on the socio-demographic, academic, economic and health effects of khat. Results clearly indicated that males dominated in chewing khat (63.52%); 54.9% of khat chewers were Muslims; 46.3% of the students reported focus and concentration on their studies as the reason for chewing khat. Insomnia was the major health problem indicated by 50% of the students; while 71% of the study participants reported being more sociable following khat chewing. Self acclaimed positive academic achievements were reported by 89% of the participants but there were no reported significant effects on objective academic results. It was concluded that to gain concentration and focus was the main reason for students’ khat chewing habit. However, there was no evidence of subjective academic achievement. Key Words: Khat; Catha edulis; academic achievement; health effects; mature students; socioeconomic factors; religion

Therapeutic effect of continuous exercise training program on serum creatinine concentration in men with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Creatinine (Cr) has been implicated as an independent predictor of hypertension and exercise has been reported as adjunct therapy for hypertension. The purpose of the present study was to  investigate the effect of continuous training programme on blood pressureand serum creatinine concentration in black African subjects with  hypertension.Methods: Three hundred and fifty seven male patients with mild to  moderate (systolic blood pressure [SBP] between 140-180 & diastolic blood pressure [DBP] between 90-109 mmHg) essential hypertension were age matched and randomly grouped into continuous & control groups. The continuous group involved in an 8 weeks continuous training (60-79% HR reserve) of between 45minutes to 60 minutes, 3 times per week, while the control group remain sedentary. SBP, DBP, VO2max, serum Cr, body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR) and percent (%) body fat. Analysis ofcovariance (ANCOVA) and Pearson correlation tests were used in data analysis.Results: Findings of the study revealed significant decreased effects of continuous training programme on SBP, DBP, Cr, BMI, WHR, % body fat and significant increase in VO2max at p< 0.05. Serum Cr is significantlyand negatively correlated with SBP (-.335), DBP (.194), BMI (.268), WHR (-.258) and % body fat (-.190) at p<0.05.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated a rationale bases for the adjunct therapeutic role of moderate intensity continuous exercise training as a multitherapy in the down regulation of blood pressure, serum Cr, body size and body fat in hypertension.Key words: Hypertension; Blood pressure; Creatinine; body size; body fat; Africa

Therapeutic Exercise and Hypertension

Hypertension implies chronic elevation in SBP and DBP above levels considered desirable or healthy for the person\'s age and size. The focus of this review is to discuss the therapeutic efficacy of exercise on human hypertension. The paper revealed that hypertension is common among African, also that acute exercise raises the BP while exercise training (chronic exercise) reduces the BP in hypertensive patients but may not reduce the BP of normotensive individual. Exercise function test and prescription were also highlighted. The paper concluded that therapeutic exercise is safe and effective in the management of hypertension. It was recommended that emphasis should be placed on therapeutic exercise in the management of hypertension in Africa. Keywords: Therapeutic exercise; Systolic pressure; Diastolic pressureAfrican Research Review Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 249-26

Effects of Aerobic Exercise in the Management of Erectile Dysfunction: A Meta Analysis Study on Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: Penile erection is a hemodynamic process involving increased arterial inflow and restricted venous outflow, coordinated with corpus cavernosum and penile arterial smooth muscle relaxation. Any problem in this mechanism results in Erectile Dysfunction and its etiology is generally multifactorial. This study is aimed at determining the objective outcome of aerobic training in the management of Erectile Dysfunction of arterogenic origin using Meta analysis.METHODS: Relevant publications were searched up to November 2010 in the MEDLINE (PubMed) database. The citation lists of randomized controlled trials on the effect of aerobic training and Erectile Dysfunction management using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) as treatment outcome measure. Studies on different operative techniques on the effects of aerobic training for men with Erectile Dysfunction due to arterogenic Erecile Dysfunction were selected. Data on participants’ characteristics, study quality, population, intervention, treatment outcome were collected and analyzed.RESULTS: There were 5 randomized controlled studies using the International Index of Erectile Function as measure of treatment outcome. A total of 385 subjects were involved in 5 studies; results indicated significant effect of aerobic training on Erecile Dysfunction (t=5.856, p= .000) at p< 0.05.CONCLUSION: Subjects with arterogenic Erectile Dysfunction might benefit from aerobic training. More randomized controlled studies in this area are warrantedKEYWORDS: Erectile dysfunction; Impotence; Exercise; Index of erectile functionEthiop J Health Sci. Vol. 21, No. 3 November 201

Correlates of selected indices of physical fitness and duration of incarceration among inmates in some selected Nigeria prisons

BACKGROUND: Incarceration has been associated with reduced physical activity. However, physical inactivity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was therefore, to evaluate the incidence and relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration in of inmates in Kano-Nigeria prisons. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was done to determine the relationship between the measures of physical fitness and the duration of incarceration of inmates in Kano prisons. Subjects’ physical fitness level (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) was assessed using standardized protocols. Simple percentage, Pearson moment correlation test and student’s t-test were used to analyze variables of interest. RESULT: One hundred and sixteen inmates; 108 (93.1%) males and 8 (6.9%) females participated in the study. The study revealed high (93.1%) prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness among inmates and significant correlation between the selected indices of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index and waist circumference) and duration of incarceration. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of low cardio-respiratory fitness was high among inmates and long period of inadequate physical activity may be implicated as causative factor of low physical fitness among inmates in Kano prison. Prison administration and staff should encourage healthy inmate behavior. Provision of adequate facilities to encourage physical activity and sports participation is highly needed

Medical screening and evaluation prior to exercise participation

SUMMARY To optimize safety during exercise testing and performance, and to permit the development of a sound and effective exercise prescription, initial medical screening of participants relative to important health factors is necessary for both the apparently healthy and those with chronic disease. The need and importance of medical screening prior to exercise training is the focus of this paper. The paper highlighted on various medical examinations and their importance in exercise programme design. The need for medical supervision was also stressed. The paper concluded that people with significant disease risk factors should seek medical advice before exercising. The paper recommended that bodies responsible for health care delivery should encourage and facilitate policy that will mandate both professional manpower and screening infrastructure as a prerequisite for the establishment of physical fitness centre in Africa

Investigation of thermal and hydraulic properties of sandy-loam soils under diverse land-use systems

Information about soil thermal properties (STPs) based on different land-use patterns will support optimum utilization of ground-based thermal energy. This study quantified in-situ soil thermal properties (STPs) and some associated hydraulic parameters under different land practices in parts of Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria. Five sampling points for thermal and hydraulic properties were established within 80 m by 40 m on each of grassland (GL), oil palm plantation site (OPS), football pitch (FP), dumpsite (DS), automobile mechanic workshop (AMW), and block making site (BMS). Thermal properties were measured in situ using KD2 Pro Thermal Properties Analyzer while topsoil hydraulic parameters were determined using standard laboratory procedures. Pearson's correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to determine the interrelationships and variations of measured STPs among the diverse land use patterns. Results of assessed STPs indicated that the average values of thermal conductivity (λs) were higher in AMW and DS (1.77 and 1.53 s W/mK, respectively) relative to that of other land uses (0.37- 0.79 W/mK). In the investigated land uses, highest and lowest mean values of thermal diffusivity (TD) (0.850 and 0.209) were recorded in AMW and GL, respectively. The OPS had lowest mean specific heat capacity (CS ) (1.381 MJ/m3 K) and bulk density (BD) of ≈1.5 sMg/m3 while DS topsoil had maximum value of average C (3.930 MJ/m3 K) but least BD of 1.17 Mg/m3 . The highest values of average thermal admittance (µs), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat ) and soil moisture content (MC) were observed in FP while least values of µs, Ksat and MC were recorded in AMW. The mean thermal resistivity (TR) values in DS and AMW were within the 90 °C-cm/W recommended for safe cable engineering practices. Correlation analysis revealed strong direct relation between λs  and TD while ANOVA results showed that most of the measured STPs were significantly different (p<0.05) among the six land-use systems. Most of the measured STPs can be regarded as dynamic characteristics that are intensely swayed by land uses

Spatial Variability Study of Duty Cycle in GSM 900 and 1800 MHz Bands in Rural and Urban Environments

This paper examines the spatial variability of duty cycle in the GSM 900 and 1800 MHz bands within Kwara State, Nigeria. The results show spatial variance in the duty cycle with average occupancies of 1.67%, 17.76%, 10.55% and 0.39%, 11.00% and 5.11 in the rural, urban and all locations for 900 and 1800 MHz bands. Findings also show that there is very high positive correlation between rural 900/1800 MHz and urban 900/1800 MHz. But very high negative correlations exits between urban 900 and rural 1800, and urban 1800 and rural 1800. There is a weak and negative correlation between rural and urban 900 MHz, rural-urban 1800. These results clearly showthe abundance of unutilised spectrum within the GSM bands. Therefore, regulatory commissions should adopt flexible spectrum reuse strategy to relax the regulatory bottlenecks to maximize the scarce radio resources in the licensed bands, especially for rural network deployment

Entrepreneurship, ICT and SME Development in Nigeria: The Ye, Yan, Yanju Paradigm

This paper examines the role of ICT in the development of entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) in Nigeria. It considers the impact of ICT on the creation of budding infopreneurs sequel to the introduction of the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication in the country. It was discovered that the introduction of GSM as a factor of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) opened up a vista of opportunities for youth empowerment and employment. Using exploratory methods, the study discovered that ICT has a major role to play in the development of start-up enterprises, most of which are novel creations in their own rights. These previously unheard of ventures created opportunities for addressing the yearnings for employment and job creation for the youth and they include such entrepreneurial ventures as the ubiquitous call centers and short-codes businesses. However, each new enterprise must transcend three local dimensional contexts to attain sustainability; ye, yan, yanju. Contexts parallelly aligned to enterprise conception, birth and persistence.   It was also discovered that limiting factors such as poor access to financial assistance and poor marketing skill and orientation constitute challenges which any budding entrepreneur need to tackle to achieve sustainability of the established venture. Keywords:             infopreneurs, intrapreneurs, call-center, GSM, Ye, Yan, Yanj