Peptic ulcer disease drugs usage patterns and its economic burden in a tertiary health institution in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Background: Drug utilization evaluation for peptic ulcer disease and its cost  implication are rare in Niger Delta. The objective of the study was to evaluate drug usage pattern in peptic ulcer diseases as well as its cost implications.Methods: The cross sectional drug use evaluation study involving the use of  questionnaire and patient case notes was carried out in a tertiary health institution. The validated pretested questionnaire was interviewer administered to 300 patients sampled consecutively followed by a retrospective review of their respective case notes between April to November 2013. Information collected include risk factors, prescribed drugs, Helicobacter pylori assay test results among others. Cost of each drug and therapy were then computed appropriately. Data was analyzed using  Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20, Microsoft Excel and Graph Pad Prism for windows Instat Version 3.Results: Out of the 300 patients, H. pylori test was conducted in 262 (87.3%) while the presence or absence of the organisms could not be confirmed in the remaining  38 subjects. Out of the 262 patients with H. pylori test results, only 166  representing 63.4% were positive. History of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) usage was very high among the subjects (250; 83.3%) and highest for ibuprofen 146 (48.7%). The most prescribed drugs were antacids (268; 89.3%), amoxicillin (165; 55.0%), and a combined formulation of omeprazole, tinidazole, and clarithromycin in 140 (46.7%) subjects, followed by omeprazole alone (125; 41.7%).The national direct cost implication for the estimated 17.6 million is in the range of NGN186,849,000,000.00 ($958,200,000.00), out which  NGN109,867,000,000.00 ($563,420,513.00) was for PUD drugs (50.9%) and NGN32,698,575,000.00 ($167,685,000.00) for H. pylori tests (17.5$303,749,400.00) was for non-ulcer drugs, personnel and transportation.Conclusion: The pattern of drugs usage is consistent with standard treatment  guidelines. Peptic ulcer drugs for the 300 subjects constituted NGN1,618,641  ($8300.72) which represents 73.0$1.04 billion). Updated  information on drug usage and their costs is needed for improved usage and system efficiency.Keywords: Peptic ulcer, H. pylori, Cost of illness, Pharmacoeconomic

Advancement of A Lab-Scale Anaerobic Biodigester to Implement Monitoring and Sensing Technologies: A Promising Educational Instrument for Reducing Carbon Emissions and Combating Climate Change

This study showcases a laboratory-scale anaerobic biodigester designed to introduce monitoring and sensing methods for tracking microorganism growth based on various parameters, including redox potential, pH, pressure, and temperature, measured in a near-continuous manner. A microcontroller system (Atmega328—Arduino) was employed for this purpose. The design's foundation lies in flexible and open-source software, hardware, and firmware (Scilab, Arduino, Processing), making it easily adaptable for other relevant research. The biodigester was developed as an educational tool for engineering students to gain a deeper understanding of its operation and to track the system's properties and progression over time. This enables the creation of property curves, which can be correlated for a more comprehensive understanding of biodigester functionality. The study specifically explored the connection between the oxidation-reduction reaction and microbial activity, demonstrating that redox potential can effectively measure microorganism growth in an anaerobic environment. Ultimately, this laboratory-scale biodigester serves as an introduction to the technology typically utilised for controlling carbon footprints, particularly in the wastewater sector, and consequently contributes to climate change mitigation efforts. Keywords: wastewater; low-carbon; biodigester; laboratory scale; open-source tools DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-8-04 Publication date:May 31st 202

Comparative Analysis of the Thermal Efficiencies of a Three-Compartment Solar Dryer

This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of the thermal efficiencies of a three-compartment solar dryer constructed with acrylic, glass, and polycarbonate materials. The research aimed to investigate the drying characteristics of yam, tomatoes, and plantain slices at varying thicknesses (5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm), the effect of pre-treatment on drying time, and the thermal efficiencies of the three different collector materials. A total of 27 drying experiments were conducted, with three replications for each combination of food sample, thickness, and compartment material. The results indicated that the polycarbonate compartment exhibited the highest average thermal efficiency (61.3%), followed by the acrylic (56.7%) and glass compartments (49.2%). Furthermore, the 5 mm thick slices demonstrated the shortest average drying time across all food samples, with a reduction of 38.5% compared to the 15 mm thick slices. Pre-treatment was found to decrease the drying time by an average of 21.2%. This study provides valuable insights for the development of efficient and cost-effective solar dryers, contributing to the broader context of sustainable agriculture and food processing practices. Keywords:Acrylic, Glass, Polycarbonate, Thermal Efficiencies, Three-Compartment Solar Dryer DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-8-02 Publication date:May 31st 202

Structural and dielectric properties of Ba(Ti0.96Sn0.01Zr0.03)O3 perovskite nanoparticles fabricated by mechanochemical synthesis route

Lead free Nanocrystalline BaTiO3 doped with Sn and Zr is prepared by a combination of solid-state reaction and high energy ball milling (HBM) technique in a temperature range 30–150 °C, over a frequency range 40 Hz – 1 MHz. A single-phase nanocrystalline sample with ABO3 type of perovskite structure with cubic symmetry was confirms by XRD diffraction. The crystallite and grain size determined from Scherrer equation and intercept method are 38.2 nm and 46.13 nm respectively. FE-SEM images show samples are dense and have different microstructures with certain amount of porosity. A grain size of 46.13 nm is obtained by using linear intercept method. Room temperature (RT) variation of ′and tan as a function of frequency of the modified BT system has also been studied. Variation of dielectric properties with frequency shows the usual behaviour of dielectric materials i.e decrease of the value of ′ with the increase of frequency. A dielectric anomalies is observed corresponding to phase transitions viz tetragonal to cubic (− ) at 70oC. These effect can guide to design the nanostructure for various practical applications of MLCC

Knowledge of Factors Contributing to Child Malnutrition among Mothers of Under-five Children in Sokoto Metropolis, North-West Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition remains a killer of children, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, malnutrition is among the top five killers of children under five years of age. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of factors contributing to child malnutrition among mothers of under-fives.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 347 mothers of under-five children who were selected using a multistage sampling technique from January to March 2018. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS® version 20.0. Descriptive statistics, crude and adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) in cross-tabulation and binary logistic regression analysis, respectively, were estimated.Results: More than half, 198 (57.0%) were aged 40 years and below. Most, 324 (93.4%) of the respondents were Hausas, with only 45 (13.0%) having tertiary education. Majority of the respondents, 326 (93.9%) knew that diarrhoea-causing diseases could lead to malnutrition. About two-thirds, 222 (64.0%) knew that deworming could protect a child from malnutrition. Less than half, 169 (48.7%) did not know that overeating starchy food can cause malnutrition. Overall, majority 216 [62.2% (95% CI = 56.9% - 67.4%)] of the respondents had good knowledge of factors associated with malnutrition. There were no statistically significant predictors of knowledge of factors contributing to malnutrition.Conclusion: Mothers of under-five children in Sokoto metropolis had a high level of knowledge of the factors contributing to child malnutrition. However, there is still a need to continue educating mothers of under-five children on the importance of maintaining proper nutrition for their children. Keywords: Awareness; Factors; Knowledge; Malnutrition; Mothers; Under-fiv

Precision Measurement of the p(e,e ' p)pi(0) Reaction at Threshold

New results are reported from a measurement of $\pi^0$ electroproduction near threshold using the $p(e,e^{\prime} p)\pi^0$ reaction. The experiment was designed to determine precisely the energy dependence of $s-$ and $p-$wave electromagnetic multipoles as a stringent test of the predictions of Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT). The data were taken with an electron beam energy of 1192 MeV using a two-spectrometer setup in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. For the first time, complete coverage of the $\phi^*_{\pi}$ and $\theta^*_{\pi}$ angles in the $p \pi^0$ center-of-mass was obtained for invariant energies above threshold from 0.5 MeV up to 15 MeV. The 4-momentum transfer $Q^2$ coverage ranges from 0.05 to 0.155 (GeV/c)$^2$ in fine steps. A simple phenomenological analysis of our data shows strong disagreement with $p-$wave predictions from ChPT for $Q^2>0.07$ (GeV/c)$^2$, while the $s-$wave predictions are in reasonable agreement.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

A connectome and analysis of the adult Drosophila central brain

The neural circuits responsible for animal behavior remain largely unknown. We summarize new methods and present the circuitry of a large fraction of the brain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Improved methods include new procedures to prepare, image, align, segment, find synapses in, and proofread such large data sets. We define cell types, refine computational compartments, and provide an exhaustive atlas of cell examples and types, many of them novel. We provide detailed circuits consisting of neurons and their chemical synapses for most of the central brain. We make the data public and simplify access, reducing the effort needed to answer circuit questions, and provide procedures linking the neurons defined by our analysis with genetic reagents. Biologically, we examine distributions of connection strengths, neural motifs on different scales, electrical consequences of compartmentalization, and evidence that maximizing packing density is an important criterion in the evolution of the fly’s brain

A connectome and analysis of the adult Drosophila central brain

The neural circuits responsible for animal behavior remain largely unknown. We summarize new methods and present the circuitry of a large fraction of the brain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Improved methods include new procedures to prepare, image, align, segment, find synapses in, and proofread such large data sets. We define cell types, refine computational compartments, and provide an exhaustive atlas of cell examples and types, many of them novel. We provide detailed circuits consisting of neurons and their chemical synapses for most of the central brain. We make the data public and simplify access, reducing the effort needed to answer circuit questions, and provide procedures linking the neurons defined by our analysis with genetic reagents. Biologically, we examine distributions of connection strengths, neural motifs on different scales, electrical consequences of compartmentalization, and evidence that maximizing packing density is an important criterion in the evolution of the fly's brain