Poverty and Unemployment: Its Implications for Pipeline Vandalization in Nigeria

The challenges of petroleum pipeline vandalization have become more frequent and very disturbing. This is due largely to the extent of human lives and properties that are lost due to such occurrences. The understanding here is that the perpetrators of these acts are mostly young persons who ordinarily be tong to the active labour force but suffer from severe lack and want due to excruciating levels of poverty and unemployment. The economic situation in the country has gotten worse as the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. What has emerged across the country are agitated youths who desperately need to survive. With scarcity and hoarding of petroleum products and the flagrant increases in the prices of petroleum products coupled with the insensivity on the part of government to the plight of the masses, people have resorted to unlawful acts to get what they want. This paper therefore examines the role government and organizations interested in ameliorating the sufferings of the masses must do to address the challenges of poverty and unemployment with the hope that itwill help reduce petroleum pipeline vandalization and bring sanity to the society

Growth response, nutrient and mineral retention, bone mineralisation and walking ability of broiler chickens fed with dietary inclusion of various unconventional mineral sources

Growth response, nutrient and mineral retention, bone mineral content and walking ability of broiler chicken fed dietary inclusion of various unconventional calcium sources were studied using 160‐day‐old broilers. Four isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets balanced for Ca and P were formulated such that oyster shell, snail shell, wood ash and limestone were used as main non‐phytate (Ca from other sources apart from plant) calcium sources. Each dietary treatment consisted of 40 birds replicated four times with 10 birds per replicate. A single diet was fed to the broilers throughout the duration of the study which lasted for 8 weeks. Broilers fed diet containing oyster shell as calcium sources recorded the highest (p < 0.05) feed intake of 5863.30 g, while those fed diet containing limestone consumed the least intake (p < 0.05) of 5432.56 g. Occurrence of lameness and evidences of gaits were highest (p < 0.05) for broilers fed diet containing wood ash. Lowest (p < 0.05) Ca and ash retention were recorded for broiler fed diet containing wood ash as Ca sources. Similar tibia ash values were recorded for broilers fed oyster shell, snail shell and limestone. Wood ash inclusion resulted in a low Ca availability hence its inclusion in feeds for broilers should be discouraged

DEVELOPMENT OF A CLOUD BASED STUDENT INFORMATION CHATBOT SYSTEM

The development of chatbot system is an algorithm that analyzes the student queries and reply messages. In this system, artificial intelligence is built to answer the query of the student. The specific objectives are to determine the required features for the construction of knowledge base, design and implement the model, evaluate the performance of the developed system. Samples of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) was collected from the department of Student Affairs, Admission Office and Information Management and Technology Center (IMTC) of the university. The collected sample was analyzed based on the category of question and the model was designed using Unified Modeling Language (UML). The model was implemented with python programming language, HTML, CSS, JavaScript for the client sever side, and also Artificial Intelligence Markup Language (AIML) () and MySQL for the back end. The developed system performance was evaluated using Alpha Beta testing. The proposed system was successfully tested to denote its effectiveness and achievability. It totally eliminates the manual process of retrieving information about a particular domain and reduces manpower, time, for any individual. The developed system will provide adequate assistance to the student on FAQ, thereby reducing the time in visiting the college to enquire about the information in respect of school activities. It will also provide an enabling environment for the students to keep them updated about the school activities

Poverty and Ethnic Militia Activities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal

The Niger-Delta area is home to about 23% ofNigeria total population. One thing that readily comes to mind about this area is conflict through the instrumentality of ethnic militancy. The issue of conflict in this area has been discussed and examined against many indices. This paper, however, tried to place the incidence of ethnic militia activities against the perception of deprivation by the people of this area. The paper employed frustration aggression and relative deprivation theses in explaining the phenomenon of wanton destruction of oil exploration facilities, deaths and hostage taking by many militant groups that traverse the region. Recommendations that could assuage the conflict situation were suggested

STUDIES ON THE ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTICORROSIVE PROPERTIES OF SYNTHESIZED HYBRID POLYURETHANE COMPOSITES FROM CASTOR SEED OIL

Castor seed oil (Ricinus communis) is a prominent feed stock towards the generation of renewable materials for industrial production. The reach presence of ricinoleic fatty acid at 87.5% provides pendant hydroxyl functional groups, which is an essential site for chemical formulations. This paper presents the synthesis, characterization, and evaluations on antibacterial and anticorrosive activities of synthesized hybrid composites from Ricinus communis seed oil. N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy ethyl)-12-hydroxy Ricinus communis oil fatty amide (HERCA) was synthesized via aminolysis polyol formation route. Upon reacting HERCA with succinic acid at a high temperature of about 145 ºC, a polyesteramide (RCPEA) was formed. This ester product undergoes urethanation and subsequently interfaced with modified hybrid material. The synthesized composites were characterized using spectroscopic methods such as FTIR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. Selected physicochemical parameters were also carried out on the products. Coating performance on cured resins was examined

Clinical and sonographic features in infertile women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine cause of infertility affecting about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. This study determined the proportion of infertile women with PCOS and compared clinical and sonographic features in infertile women with PCOS and without PCOS.Methods: This was a prospective comparative cross-sectional study at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital over a 6 month period. One hundred and fifty two infertile women were recruited and had trans-vaginal ultrasonography for the presence and absence of polycystic ovaries. The diagnosis of PCOS was made using the Rotterdam criteria with other relevant socio-demographic and clinical data noted in the study proforma. Student t and chi-square tests were used as appropriate.Results: The prevalence of PCOS among infertile women was 32.9%. The mean age of infertile women diagnosed with PCOS and without PCOS was 33±4.90 and 32.71±5.00 years, respectively. Women with PCOS had significantly higher BMI than women without PCOS. Increased ovarian volume, peripheral follicular distribution and increased stromal echogenicity were observed in 60%, 74% and 94% of women with PCOS on trans-vaginal ultrasound compared to 11.8%, 2% and 2% of women without PCOS, respectively.Conclusions: The prevalence of PCOS among infertile women is high. Clinical characteristics of women with PCOS and women without PCOS are similar except in their BMI and features that constitute the diagnostic criteria for PCOS

Sonographic estimation of foetal weight versus actual birth weight at term

Background: Estimated foetal weight is very critical to decision making in the management of pregnant women. It is therefore important to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound estimated foetal weight (USEFW) at term in our environment. We compared ultrasound estimated foetal weight at term with the actual foetal birth weight at delivery.Methods: This was a prospective, comparative cross-sectional study at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital over a 6-month period. Four hundred and five pregnant women with normal singleton pregnancy, who had sonographic estimation of foetal weight at term, using the Hadlock IV formula, were followed up and had their actual birth weight (ABW) determined at delivery. Accuracy was determined by proportion of estimates within 10% of actual birth weight and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The p<0.05 was considered significant at 95% confidence interval.Results: The prevalence of macrosomia was 10.3%. At 10% margin of error, ultrasound accurately estimated the weights of 73.3% of babies. The mean USEFW was 3559.89±316.9g and mean ABW was 3477.42±422.9g with a mean difference of 82.44g (p<0.001) and MAPE of 7.11. There was positive correlation (r=0.669) between the EFW and ABW (p<0.001). The USEFW had a sensitivity of 66.7%, specificity of 91.5%, positive predictive value of 47.5% and negative predictive value of 96.0% in predicting macrosomia.Conclusions: Ultrasound estimation of foetal weight at term is reliably accurate in predicting actual birth weight in south-western Nigeria.

Influencing factors of unmet needs for child spacing among selected countries experiencing high maternal-mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Maternal complication and death have implicated unintended pregnancy. The indicator for measuring the risk of unintended pregnancy is unmet need for family planning (FP). It is necessary to explore the current situation of unmet need for child spacing (UNCS) as well as its influencing factors among countries that are experiencing high maternal mortality ratio. We aimed to unveil the prevalence of UNCS and its associated factors in Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone.Methods: We analysed the data from DHS phase VII survey, a cross- sectional study conducted from year 2017 to 2018 across several countries. Total records of 25,539, 5,553, and 10,050 were extracted for Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone respectively. Explored variables were UNCS, demographic characteristics and husband’s partners profile. Data was analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, test of association (chi-square) and binary logistic regression were used during the data analysis (α0.05).Results: UNCS was high in Nigeria (15.9%), Liberia (22.5%) and Sierra Leone (21.9%). In Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, 40%, 37% and 49.1% were uneducated respectively. The proportion of married women were 89% in Nigeria, 32% in Liberia and 70.2% in Sierra Leone. Also, female headship of household (OR: 1.29, 95%CI: 1.09-1.54) was associated with UNCS relative to male headship of household.Conclusions: UNCS was high in the three countries. Factors like educational status of women, age, as well as women as head of the households should be given much attention in the efforts to reduce UNCS as identified in this study

Pattern of primary caesarean deliveries in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Background: Primary caesarean section (CS) has become a major driver of the steadily rising total caesarean rate. This study determined the primary CS rate, pattern and associated factors.Methods: It was a retrospective, hospital-based cross-sectional study of 645 pregnant women who had primary caesarean section over a 3-year period in Lagos state university teaching hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Data obtained were expressed in frequency and percentages.Results: Primary CS accounted for more than 50% of all the CS done during the study period with a primary CS rate of 16.7% and total CS rate was 30.6%. Primary CS was commonest among women of age group 30-39years (50.1%) and women with no prior parous experience (58.6%). The commonest indication for primary CS was poor progress in labour due to cephalopelvic disproportion, which occurred in 170 women (26.4%), followed by suspected foetal distress in 94 women (14.6%) and hypertensive disease in pregnancy in 91 women (14.1%). Post-operative wound infection and/or dehiscence was the most prevalent post-operative complication occurring in 12.1% of women who had primary CS.Conclusions: Primary CS rate is increasing and relatively more common among primiparous women. Cephalopelvic disproportion, suspected foetal distress and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the leading indications for primary CS.

A case of dengue fever in a health worker in university of Port-Harcourt teaching hospital

Dengue fever is a mosquito borne disease which can easily be missed or misdiagnosed in early stages as a result of poor surveillance, similarity with other febrile illness and unavailability of PCR necessary for its diagnosis. We hereby report a 44year old female nurse living around a bushy and swampy environment, who presented to university of Port-Harcourt teaching hospital (UPTH) with high grade fever of 1week duration, also developed joint pains, passage of coke colored urine, sensor neural deafness, hyperglycemia and petechial hemorrhage while on admission. Patient continued to have persistent fever despite having completed her anti-malaria and antibiotics, viral studies were subsequently done for her and she was found to have dengue virus. Patient was conservatively managed and discharged for follow-up in medical outpatient and Ear nose and throat clinic