Factors influencing adherence to paediatric antiretroviral therapy in Portharcourt, South- South Nigeria

Introduction: The efficiency of antiretroviral therapy (ART) depends on a near-perfect level of patientfs adherence. Adherence in children poses peculiar challenges. The aim of the study was to determine the adherence level and factors influencing adherence among HIV-infected children and adolescents in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.  Methods: A cross-sectional survey of HIV-infected children and adolescents on ART using self-report by the caregiver/child in the past one month. Results: A total of 213 caregivers and their children were interviewed. A hundred and sixty-two (76.1%) had adherence rates .95%. Only 126 (59.2%) were completely (100%) adherent. The commonest caregiver-related factors for missing doses were forgetfulness 48(55.2%), travelled 22(25.3%) and drugs finished 16(18.4%), while the childrelated factors were refused drugs 10(11.5%), slept 8(9.2%), and vomited 8(9.2%). Sixty-eight (31.9%) caregivers reported missing clinic visit and reasons given were travelled 18(26.5%), caregiver ill 12(17.6%) and family  problems 9(13.2%). Predictors of poor adherence include mother as the primary caregiver (OR 3.32; 95%CI, 1.33-8.67), younger than 5years (OR 2.62; 95%CI, 1.30-5.31) and presence of a co-morbidity (OR 3.97; 95%CI, 1.92-8.33). Having a medication reminder strategy (OR 6.34; 95%CI, 3.04-13.31), regular clinic visits (OR 8.55; 95%CI 4.01-18.45)and status disclosure (p=0.008) predicted a better adherence. The  caregiverfs age (p= 0.11), education (p=0.86), socioeconomic status (p=0.89), gender of the child (p=0.84), type of ART (p=0.2) and duration of ART (1.0) did not significantly affect adherence. Conclusion: Adherence is still suboptimal. Since barriers to Paediatric ART adherence are largely caregiver-dependent, identifying and addressing these barriers in eachcaregiver-child pair will improve adherence and patient outcome

Assessment of the analgesic potency of constant rate infusion of tramadol hydrochloride and as an adjunct to ketoprofen in laparotomized bitches

In this study, the analgesic potency of constant rate infusion of tramadol hydrochloride and as adjunct to ketoprofen on laparotomy-induced pain was evaluated. Dogs were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=5). Groups 1, 2 and 3 received 0.5mg/kg/hr, 1.0mg/kg/hr and 2.0mg/kg/hr IV; CRI of tramadol hydrochloride respectively while group 4 which served as control received normal saline. Infusions were administered from 30 minutes before surgery and lasted for 105 minutes. All dogs underwent ventral midline laparotomy. Ketoprofen 50 mg/ml at the dose of 5mg/kg, SC was given at 1 hour post-surgery (hps) after pain assessment and on days 2 and 3 post-surgery (dps) to dogs in all the groups. Parameters determined were heart and respiratory rates, blood glucose level, pain score and body weight. Results showed that mean heart rate, respiratory rate and body weight were not differed significantly (p > 0.05) within and among the groups. Mean blood glucose level of group 4 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the other groups intra- and post-surgery. Mean blood glucose level of group 3 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of group 1 at 1 hps. Group 4 dogs also had significantly higher mean blood glucose intra-surgery and at 1 hps than their baseline value. Group 4 dogs had significantly higher (p < 0.05) mean rank pain score than other dog groups on 0-3 dps while mean rank pain scores of groups 1 and 2 were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of group 3 on 0 dps. It was concluded that tramadol HCL at constant rate infusion doses of 0.5mg/kg, 1.0mg/kg/hr and 2.0mg/kg/hr were effective at managing laparotomy-induced pain up to one hour post-surgery. As an adjunct to ketoprofen, 2.0mg/kg/hr of tramadol hydrochloride offered better analgesia than the other doses studied during the post-surgical days.Keywords: Analgesia, Constant rate infusion, Ketoprofen, Laparotomy, Pain, Tramado

Efficient Financial Management Policy in Nigeria: An Evaluation of the Operations of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAS) in Nigeria

Treasury Single Account as a financial policy has been in use in several countries of the world. It is a public accounting system that uses a single account, or a set of linked accounts by government to ensure that all revenue receipts and payments are done through a Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It commenced in Nigeria in 2012 using a unified structure of accounting for 217 government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, for accountability and transparency in public fund management This paper examines the implementation and operations of Treasury Single Account by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nigeria.The result shows that with TSA, there is adequate monitoring of government revenue receipts and expenditures, reduction in reckless spending by government officials caused by multiple accounts operated by MDAs. Block leakages has been controlled. Keywords: Treasury Single Account, Government, Banks, Ministries, Departments, Agencie

How Knowledgeable are Non-Radiology Doctors on Ionizing Radiation

Background: Due to the risk of hazard from ionizing radiation, non-radiology doctors who refer patients to the radiology departments ought to be knowledgeable enough about what their patients are subjected to. The high throughput of radiology requests in our centre in Nigeria justifies this study. Aim: To evaluate the level of knowledge of non-radiology doctors on ionizing radiation with a view to reviewing local protocols on justification of investigations involving ionizing radiation. Material and method: Eighty (80) structured questionnaires were administered to non-radiology doctors practising in different hospitals n Kano city, Nigeria. Answers were elicited on radiation protection principles, concept of ionizing radiation, radiation effects, imaging modalities that emit ionizing radiation, radiation measurements and attitude towards ionizing radiation. Results: Seventy questionnaires were returned out of the eighty sent out with sixty-four (80 %) being properly filled. Knowledge of non-radiology doctors was variable on different indices; 15.6 %, n = 10 (fundamental principles of radiation protection); 45.3 %, n = 29 (effects of ionizing radiation); 34.4 %,  n = 22 (knowledge on ionizing property of radiation); 73 %, n = 47 (emission of ionizing radiation by computed tomography); and 85.9 %, n = 55 (interest in specific modality). Conclusion:  Non-radiology doctors in Kano metropolis have fairly good knowledge of potential hazards of radiation

Analiza kretanja rasta proizvodnje poljoprivrednih kultura u Nigeriji (1961. –2014.)

This paper focuses on trend analysis of crop productivity growth in Nigeria between 1961 and 2014. It was therefore intended to estimate the effect of different factors of production that influence crop output and to compute their technical efficiency, technological change and total factor productivity change. Panel data was broken into land, labour, tractor, fertilizer and animal power. Descriptive statistics, Cobb-Douglas production analysis and Malmquist Productivity index were the tools employed for the analysis. The result of the trend analysis shows that time has a positive effect on crop production and also shows that there is an increase in crop output, land, labour, tractor, fertilizer and animal power over years. Land and animal power are statistically significant at 1% probability level and a unit increase in land and animal power, crop output increases by 2.176772 tons and 0.7531192 tons respectively, this implies that land and animal power have a positive effect on crop output in Nigeria. Labour and tractor have negative impact on crop output, while fertilizer has no significant effect on crop output. The efficiency change, technical change and total factor productivity change were also analyzed. According to the analysis, Nigeria experienced the highest agricultural productivity from 1992, with value of 1.166. It is therefore recommended that the use of agricultural land should be increased, relevant policies should address the constraints to technology progress, and efficiency should be promoted in order to improve productivity growth.Ovaj je rad usredotočen na analizu kretanja rasta proizvodnje poljoprivrednih kultura u Nigeriji u razdoblju od 1961. do 2014. Cilj je ovog rada odrediti kako različiti faktori proizvodnje utječu na količinu proizvedenih kultura te izmjeriti njihovu tehničku učinkovitost, tehnološki razvoj i promjene u ukupnom faktoru produktivnosti. Panel podaci razdijeljeni su u sljedeće kategorije: zemljište, radna snaga, traktori, gnojivo i životinjska snaga (radne životinje). Za potrebe analize korištena je deskriptivna statistika, Cobb-Douglasova proizvodna funkcija i Malmquistov indeks produktivnosti. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da vrijeme ima pozitivan učinak na proizvodnju poljoprivrednih kultura te da je tijekom godina zamjetan porast u količini proizvedenih kultura, zemljištu, radnoj snazi, traktorima, gnojivu i životinjskoj snazi. Zemljište i životinjske snaga statistički su značajne kategorije, s razinom vjerojatnosti od 1 %. Porast jedinice zemljišta rezultira porastom od 2,176.772 tona u poljoprivrednim kulturama, a životinjske snage porastom od 0,7531192 tona u poljoprivrednim kulturama. Iz ovoga proizlazi da zemljište i životinjska snaga imaju pozitivan utjecaj na količinu proizvedenih poljoprivrednih kultura u Nigeriji. Kategorije radne snage i traktora imaju negativan učinak, a gnojiva nemaju nikakav značajni učinak na količinu proizvedenih poljoprivrednih kultura. Mjerena je i tehnička učinkovitost te tehnološki razvoj i promjene u ukupnom faktoru produktivnosti. Prema dobivenim rezultatima, poljoprivredna je proizvodnja u Nigeriji 1992. dosegla svoju najveću vrijednost od 1,166. S obzirom na rezultate preporučuje za povećanje poljoprivrednog zemljišta i učinkovitosti te donošenje relevantnih mjera čiji bi cilj bio rješavanje problematike razvoja tehnologije

Effects of Different Substrates and Temperature on the Growth and Yield of Oyster Mushroom (Lentinus sajor-caju Fr.)

The study evaluated the effects of three saw dust substrates on the growth and yield of Lentinus sajor-caju at the pathology laboratory of Forestry Research Institute of  Nigeria (FRIN) under indoor and outdoor temperatures of 28.6ºC and 29.1ºC  respectively.  The saw dust substrate includes; Triplochiton scleroxylon, Gmelina arborea, and Cordia Millenii. Wheat bran and lime (CaCo3) were incorporated to the substrates as supplements.  The mycelial growth was faster at 28.6ºC giving full colonization at 3 weeks in all the substrates, while full colonization was observed in 4 weeks at 29.1ºC. T. scleroxylon substrate recorded best heights at both indoor and outdoor temperatures with 28.1±10.2cm and 14.6±4.40 respectively.  G. arborea substrate gave the highest yield at both outdoor and indoor temperatures with 69.5±30.6 g 53.5±10.8 g respectively. There was no significant difference on the growth and yield of   L. sajor-caju at the two temperature ranges. Based on the results obtained, G. arborea saw dust was the most suitable substrate and could be recommended for the cultivation of Lentinus sajor-caju

Multiple uterine fibroids in an 18-year-old: a case report and review of literature

Uterine fibroids are benign monoclonal neoplasms arising from smooth muscle cells in the uterine wall. They are common  gynaecological tumours in women of reproductive age, but, a rare occurrence in adolescence. We present a case of a Nigerian 18-year-old undergraduate with abnormal uterine bleeding and abdominal swelling with a clinical diagnosis of uterine fibroids. She had an open abdominal myomectomy. Histology confirmed uterine fibroids. There is need for medical practitioners to consider this condition as a differential diagnosis especially among this group of women albeit a rare occurrence. Keywords: uterine fibroid, gynaecological tumours, reproductive age, myomectomy, Nigeri

Multinomial Logit Estimation of Income Sources by Watermelon Farmers in Northeastern Nigeria

The main objective of the research was to use multinomial logit model to estimate income sources of watermelon farmers in northeastern Nigeria. A total of 434 farmers were sampled through multi-stage sampling procedure covering three Local Government Areas of Yobe state, Nigeria. The sources were personal savings, friends and relatives, Bank loans and cooperative/thrift societies. The results revealed that farm size, age and level of education were significant at 5% probability level and positively influenced the utilization of income from friends and relatives. Farmers' level of education, total cost of production and farm size significantly influenced farmers to obtain loans from banks. The marginal effects were 0.0504, 2.75 and 0.0038 showing the degrees of probabilities the variables can influence bank loans. Watermelon farmers can only obtain loans from cooperative and thrift society based on their farm size, total revenue, age, total cost and their level of output. These variables were significant at 1% and 5% probability levels with appropriate signs. The study concluded that 60% of the farmers fund their farm through personal savings and was difficult to get bank loans. It was recommended that micro-savings be encouraged among farmers and cooperative/thrift societies should be encouraged and adequately developed through the Non-Governmental Organizations