Overview of Anorectal Malformations in Africa

Anorectal malformation is one of the most common structural congenital malformations treated by pediatric surgeons globally. The outcome of care is largely dependent on the spectrum, clinical features, associated malformations, expertise of the surgeons, and available perioperative facilities. Africa has a large burden of unmet surgical needs in children, and as in other low resource settings, local pediatric surgeons are faced with different and challenging clinical scenarios, hence, adopt various measures to enable children with surgically correctable congenital malformations to survive. There are increasing collaborations between local surgeons and experts in other continents, which often involves surgeons traveling to Africa on missions or well-structured partnerships. It is highly beneficial for the physician who is interested in global-surgery to understand the terrain in low resource settings and prepare for possible changes in management plan. This review highlights the epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of care of children with anorectal malformations in Africa and provides options adopted by pediatric surgeons working with limited resources

Measurement of penile size in healthy Nigerian newborns using conventional penile length measurement technique

Objectives We attempted to establish a standard penile length for male newborn Nigerians using the conventional penile length measurement technique.Summary Defining the normal penile size in the neonate is paramount to making accurate diagnosis of abnormalities of the penis and the medical and surgical management of these anomalies.Patients and methods We carried out a prospective cross-sectional study of all term male neonates within 72 h of birth from April 2013 to March 2014 in the three largest obstetric centres (University College Hospital, Adeoyo Maternity Hospital and Our Lady of Apostles Catholic Hospital) in Ibadan, Nigeria. They underwent clinical examination, and their penile sizes were measured using the conventional penile length measurement technique.Results A total of 675 male Nigerian newborns were studied. The mean penile length was 3.14 ±0.65 cm, and the mean penile width was 0.97± 0.15 cm.Conclusion The penile dimensions obtained are comparable with reported values in previous studies in other parts of the world

Hepatotoxicity of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Bridelia ferruginea on the Liver of Albino Rats

The hepatic effect of aqueous extract of Bridelia ferruginea leaves on the liver of albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) was investigated. The rats were fed with their feed (pellets) and clean water and were left for a period of four weeks to acclimatize to their new environment and thereafter the experiment commenced. The rats were grouped into four groups; the control group which did not receive the extract at all and three other groups according to dose of extracts administered orally. There was a steady increase in weight in both control and treated group in the treated group. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration was a mean value of  10.4 +1.0U/I for the control group while the treated groups were 38.1 + 3.8U/I, 57.7 + 19.3U/I, and 77.6 + 6.0U/I (at the doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg weight/day) respectively. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration had a mean value of 11.5 + 0.5U/I for the control group and 45.6 + 1.3U/I , 44.6 + 4.1U,  41.5 + 2.4U/I  and 50.5+3.3 UI (at the doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200mg/kg weight/day).The transaminases (AST and ALT) are well known enzymes used as biomarkers to predict possible toxicity to the liver. Possible damage to liver cells resulted in elevation of both these transaminases in the serum. Furthermore, measurement of enzymatic activities of AST and ALT is of clinical and toxicological importance as changes in their activities are indicative of liver damage by toxicants or in diseased condition. Histological section of the control group had a normal architecture were the central veins,portal traits hepatocytes and sinusoids appear normal. The lobula unit is also well define. However, group rats treated with 50mg/kg/bw and 100mg/kg/bw showed disintegration of the hepartic cells represented by the separation and disruption of these cells in the tissue with karyolitic nuclei. Also, in rats group treated with 150mg/kg/bw showed extensive area of patchy and confluent hepatocyte necrosis and lobular inflammation Keywords: Hepatotoxicity, Bridelia ferruginea,Albino rat

Septic arthritis of the hip with intraperitoneal dislocation of the femoral head

Septic arthritis is a potentially crippling infection of the joint cavity. Malnutrition in the setting of poor socioeconomic background is a known predisposing and propagating factor of septic arthritis. Prolonged untreated septic arthritis of the hip joint can be a rare cause of acute abdomen, this is due to the proximity of the hip joint to the pelvis causing the spread of the causative organisms into the peritoneal cavity. We present a case of septic arthritis of the hip joint presenting as acute abdomen with intra-peritoneal dislocation of the head of the femur, and reviewed relevant literature. Keywords: acute abdomen; septic arthritis; peritonitis; fracture dislocation

Novel cholinesterase inhibitory effect of α-spinasterol isolated from the leaves of Acacia auriculiformis A. CUNN Ex. Benth (Fabaceae)

Purpose: To investigate the in vitro anticholinesterase, α-glucosidase and antioxidant activities of α-spinasterol isolated from Acacia auriculiformis leaves.Methods: The powdered leaves of Acacia auriculiformis were extracted with 70 % ethanol and the dried hydroalcoholic extract was suspended in water and partitioned with ethyl acetate and n-butanol to give their soluble fractions. The in vitro inhibitory activities of α-spinasterol were determined against cholinesterase and, α-glucosidase enzymes, and free radical scavenging potentials using (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydarzyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) antioxidantassays.Results: The compound, α-spinasterol, exhibited moderate anticholinesterase activity (IC50 value of 44.19±2.59 μg/mL which was significantly  different at (p < 0.05) when compared to the standard galanthamine (IC50 value of 1.73 ± 1.10 μg/mL). It also displayed a good α-glucosidase  inhibitory activity with IC``` value of 8.65 ± 1.71μg/mL which was not significantly different when compared to the standard, acarbose with IC50 value of 2.79±0.81 μg/mL. This compound, however, exhibited weak free radical scavenging activities at 26.93 ± 0.00 and 35.16 ±.0.26 % inhibition of DPPH+ and ABTS+ radicals as compared to ascorbic acid and Trolox (73.88 ± 0.04 and 99.82 ± 0.00%) respectively.Conclusion: The results show that α-spinasterol isolated from Acacia auriculiformis exerts potent inhibitory effect against cholinesterase enzyme which might serve as a lead in the search for drugs against Alzheimer disease and diabetes mellitus. Keywords: Acacia auriculiformis, α-Spinasterol, Galanthamine, Acarbose, Trolox, Ascorbic aci

Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment for Sustainable Development in Africa

Promoting gender equality is an essential component of the development strategy that seeks to enable people, both men and women, to reduce their poverty level and bring about improvement in the standard of living. An important element of sustainable development is to manage the natural resource base on which human activity depends. However, sociallyconstructed roles of men and women (which clearly manifest in lifestyles, consumption patterns, access to resources and power, decision-making and environmental effects) and deprivation of women due to discrimination, gender-segregated employment and traditional attitudes constitute source of concern in sustainable development initiatives. The study adopted the review of secondary data and information in exploring gender issues within and across the facets of sustainable development. Investing in girls and women (in all its ramifications), supporting their specific needs as entrepreneurs, workers, home-based consumers, producers, drivers of low-emission climate-resilient economies, and instituting sustainable development framework that confronts the discriminatory social norms and practices will promote gender equality and achieve development that is more sustainable. The study contributes to knowledge in the fields of gender studies, environment, and sustainable development where furtherance of gender-responsive policy focus, planning and implementation is the major thrust

Strategic Imperatives of Managing Change in Nigerian Financial Institutions

In recent times, there have been changes within the Nigeria financial institutions due to globalisation and technological innovations. While the changes are expected to bring about transformation of the industry in line with global best practices, the attendant effects of strategic alliances between financial institutions and re-structuring exercises occasioned by various banking reforms have brought about untold hardship unto the bank employees. With emerging entities embarking on downsizing of workforce as a cost cutting management strategy, the victims (individuals) who have lost their jobs have to grapple with the need to cope with life, the survivors (staff who survived the downsizing exercise) have to battle with the challenges of work place, while the organisation (executioner of change) have to contend with managing the resistance to change. Successful management of change is therefore crucial to any organization to survive in the present highly competitive and continuously evolving business environment. In order to understand why some change implementations succeed and some fail, how the resistance to those changes work and where it comes from becomes imperative. The study reviewed facets of change and situated resistance to change within the context of Nigerian financial institutions based on secondary data and information. It identifies amongst others, clear and unambiguous objective setting, effective communication, consultation, dialoguing and bargaining, motivation, negotiation, manipulation, co-option and coercion as possible tactics for managing resistance. Managers should take cognisance of the human elements in coping with challenges of change through sustained flexibility and adaptability to consequences of change

MODELLING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURIAL CLIMATE AND VENTURE PERFORMANCE: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES

Entrepreneurial ventures constitute important drivers for economic growth and corporate success irrespective of size, age or the industry they play. This study examines the moderating impact of entrepreneurial competencies on the relationship between entrepreneurial climate and venture performance. A sample of 400 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that affiliated with selected professional associations in three geographical regions in Nigeria participated in this study. Hierarchical Multiple Regression, Structural Equation Modelling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test the proposed model. The results reveal that entrepreneurial competencies strongly moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial climate and venture performance. In addition, entrepreneurial climate and entrepreneurial competencies significantly predict venture performance. The study underscores the significance of entrepreneurial competency dimensions, the understanding of the complexities of the macro environment and the need to focus attention on pertinent entrepreneurial competencies. Our findings suggest that collaboration between government and SMEs practitioners to define suitable institutional settings and capacity building can enhance the survival and performance of entrepreneurial ventures

NEXUS BETWEEN USERS’ PERCEIVED RISK, PERCEIVED LEGISLATION AND E-COMMERCE ACCEPTANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR E-COMMERCE ADOPTION IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

This paper investigates the impact of perceived risk and perceived legislation on ecommerce acceptance. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 666 come-toclaim customers of top 4 e-Commerce organizations. Hypotheses were tested using Hierarchical Regression Analysis. The results revealed that perceived risk and legislation have significant effects on e-Commerce acceptance. The study expanded the application of theory discussed in this study which allow for contribution to the theorizing of e-commerce adoption by substituting behavioural variables with internet security variables to the already established UTAUT model. The paper recommends that government should provide a regulatory framework to drive the e-commerce sector

NEXUS BETWEEN INFORMAL NETWORKS AND RISK-TAKING: IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMES) IN NIGERIA

An evolving dimension of entrepreneurial research reveals that entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial networks are critical factors in fostering performance outcomes. However, there is death of studies that examined the relationship between risk-taking dimension of entrepreneurial orientation and informal networks on SMEs performance. This study set out to examine the influence of risk-taking and informal networks on the performance of selected small and medium enterprises in Nigeria. Descriptive research design in which questionnaire was used to collect data from 381 SMEs owner-managers guided the study. Correlation, multiple regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed to test the hypotheses with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for measurement model validation. The results revealed that both risk-taking and informal networks have significant positive effect on SMEs performance. It is recommended that SMEs managers should strive to embrace risk-taking as well as optimize the opportunities offered by informal networks potential towards expanding their contacts and enhance SMEs performance. The study contributes to entrepreneurial orientation dimension and informal institutional framework through the integration of risk-taking and informal networks with SMEs performance