An Alternative Approach to the Determination of Optimum Reservations for Handover in GSM Networks

This work presents an alternative approach to the computation of the optimum reservations to be made in a GSM network for handover call requests. Prioritizing handover calls in a cellular network such as the GSM is necessary so as to guarantee seamless connection. Successful handover enhances the quality of service (QoS) of a network as the later is directly dependent on call continuity. In a previous analysis, the expression for the optimum reservations to be made was determined using the Gaussian Elimination method which had limitations because the power series used only considered the second order. Also, the set of equations to be solved was reduced to three thereby giving a result that does not quite represent the general system. In this work, the logarithmic approach is adopted which captures the total system capacity under test. A more reliable function for the determination of optimum reservations required in a system is thus derived. This new approach is also compared with that obtained using the Gaussian Elimination method

Nigerian dental students? compliance with the 4As approach to tobacco cessation

Objective. To assess the Nigerian dental students? present effort at tobacco cessation assistance using the simple stepwise 4As model. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of all the final level dental students in the Nigerian premier dental schools was carried out using a pretested self administered questionnaire. Results. The response rate was 98.9%. Majority (95.6%) of the respondents routinely take history of tobacco use. A total of 93.9% of the respondents routinely advice patient who smoke to quit but only 46.1% actually counsel patient on how to quit. Sixtenth of the respondents knew about nicotine replacement therapy but only 36.1% knew the role antidepressant therapy in tobacco cessation. Majority (87.2%) want cigarette sales to adolescents banned, 73.9% want adverts of cigarettes prohibited, 81.1% want cigarette smoking banned in public areas and only 2.8% will permit smoking in a dental office. Conclusions. The survey revealed deficiency in compliance to the 4As approach to tobacco cessation among Nigerian dental students. The incorporation of proper tobacco counseling cessation protocol, with emphasis on the pharmacological therapy, into the dental curriculum is therefore desirable. Dental professionals at all levels should be involved effectively with tobacco cessation to significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of tobacco use

Factors Influencing The Selection Of Dental Nursing As A Profession

Objective: To provide a current description of dental nursing students and to assess the reasons for choosing the dental nursing career. Methods: Between 2008 and 2009, a questionnaire survey was administered to 85 dental nursing students from 3 Colleges of Health Technology undergoing external clinical posting in University of Benin Dental Clinic. The questionnaire requested information on age, gender, place of residence, type of school attended, previous employment, reason for choosing dental nursing as a career, career plans, parents' highest level of education and parents' occupations. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 23 ± 4.4 years and the male: female ratio of was 1:7.5. Three-quarter (75.3%) of the respondents attended government secondary school and 87.1% were products of mixed school. Teaching was the commonest job among 27.1% of the respondent that had previous employment. Three-quarter (75.6%) of the respondents attested that their education was being sponsored by their parents. Caring for the health of others was the main reason for pursuing dental nursing career. The decision to study dental nursing was taken by 44.7% of the respondents after their secondary education and 50.6% were influenced in their choice of the career with parent being a strong force. More than half (56.5%) plan to work in Teaching hospital on completion of their training. The educational backgrounds of parents varied widely with mothers being reported to have less formal education than fathers. Three-quarter (75.3%) and one-third (35.3%) respondents' mother and father were traders respectively. Conclusion: The study findings provide relevant information on the students' characteristics, factors influencing the selection of dental nursing career and will serve as a template, on which changes in the social composition of dental nursing students can be compared with over time. Key words: Factors, selection, dental nursing, professio

Speciation of Cr, Fe, Cu, Pb in the surface and under water sediment of Trans–Ekulu river, Enugu State, Nigeria

This study investigated the distribution and speciation of Cr, Fe, Cu and Pb between the surface and bottom sediments of Trans-Ekulu river Enugu, Nigeria, using flame atomic absorption spectrometric technique. The results showed that the concentrations of Fe vary significantly in the two sediment samples. Iron was observed at elevated concentrations in exchangeable, carbonate bound and Fe-Mn oxide bound fractions (76.04 to 81.03 µg/g). Very low concentration in comparison was recorded at the organic matter bound fraction (5.01 µg/g). This observation was in contrast to bottom sediment where Fe recorded an elevated concentration at the organic matter bound fraction (73.01 µg/g) and reduced concentrations at the exchangeable and carbonate bound fractions (2.01 µg/g and 4.02 µg/g) respectively. The result also indicated an increase in Cr concentrations at Fe-Mn oxide fraction of the bottom sediment (14.04 µg/g) compared to the surface sediment where Cr was not detected at the Fe-Mn oxide phase. Copper and Pb were generally not detected in the fractions studied. However, Cu was observed at Fe-Mn oxide phase for the bottom sediment (25.01 µg/g) and reduced phase for the surface sediment (7.01 µg/g). These results indicate an objectionable values in the concentration of the parameters analysed.Keywords: Speciation, metals, Enugu, sediments, AAS

Analgesic Activity of the Methanol Leaf Extract of Delonix Regia

The analgesic activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Delonix regia in albino Wistar mice using acetic acid –induced writhing reflex, tail immersion and hot plate experimental models was evaluated. Three test doses (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight) of the extract were used while 400 mg/kg of acetylsalicyclic acid (aspirin) was used as reference drug all administered by gastric gavage. In acetic acid-induced writhing reflex model, the extract and acetylsalicyclic acid dose dependently and significantly (p< 0.0001) decreased the abdominal constriction or writhing. The extract also increased the percentage inhibition of abdominal constriction from 0% in the negative group to 80% in the highest dose of the extract (800 mg/kg) treated group. In the tail immersion model, the extract at the doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg significantly (p<0.03) increased the pain reaction time (PRT) while in the hot plate model there was no significant difference in the pre-drug pain reaction time (PRT) but the extract at the dose of 800 mg/kg significantly (p< 0.05) increased the post- drug PRT. In the tail immersion and the hot plate models, the extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg had no analgesic effect. In conclusion, the methanolic leaf extract of Delonix regia demonstrated significant analgesic activity that may be mediated through peripheral and central mechanisms.Keywords: Delonix regia, analgesic, aspirin, writhing, hot plateNigerian Veterinary Journal, VOL:33 (2) 515-52

Oral Assessment and Nursing Interventions among Nigerian Nurses-Knowledge, Practices and Educational Needs

Background: Assessment of oral condition, oral care, and informing the attending doctor of unusual oral findings for possible consultation or referral to a dentist are the advocated roles of hospital nurses. The objective of the study was thus to assess the roles of Nigerian nurses in the assessment of oral conditions of hospitalized patients.Methods: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of all nurses caring for hospitalized patients in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital was conducted in the first half of 2010.Results: Of the 384 studied participants, 94.3% considered oral care as an important aspect of nursing care and 73.4% had oral health component in their nursing school curriculum. A total of 80.7% reported suspicious and abnormal findings in hospitalized patients to the attending doctor. Amongst the respondents, 38.0% reported ability to conduct good oral tissue examination. Only 28.1% demonstrated good knowledge of common oral diseases. Three-quarters (73.4%) thought that it is compulsory for nurses to assess the oral condition of hospitalized patients. The 67.7% and 21.9% of the respondents did the assessment on admission and discharge respectively. The majority (90.1%) desired training on oral care of hospitalized patients.Conclusion: There is a need to improve the skill and competence of nurses in the assessment of oral condition to make them a substantive partner in the oral care of hospitalized patients.Keywords: hospitalized patients, nurses, oral condition, role

A Survey Of HIV-Related Knowledge And Attitude Among Dental Nursing Students In South Western Nigeria

Objective: To assess HIV-related knowledge and attitude among dental nursing students in South Western Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of the entire 97 final year dental nursing students from 4 colleges of health technology located in South Western Nigeria was conducted in University of Benin Teaching Hospital during their external clinical posting between June 2006 and June 2007. A self-administered questionnaire elicited information on demography, HIV/AIDS knowledge, source of information, interpersonal communication concerning HIV/AIDS, attitudes towards HIV testing, occupational risk perception and willingness to care for HIV patients. Results: Response rate was 91.8% (89/97). About three quarter (73%) was in 21-25 years age group. Male: Female ratio was approximately 1:12. The respondents’ overall mean HIV/AIDS knowledge score was 13.2±1.8 out of 16 points. Level of knowledge was influenced by marital status, state of origin and sources of information (

Comparative anti-ulcerogenic activities of the leaf, seed and stem bark hydromethanolic extracts of Picralima nitida in rats

Background: Picralima nitida (Stapf) commonly called akuamma belongs to the family apocynaceae found mostly in forest areas of Africa. It is a shrub or a deciduous tree that can grow up to 35 meters in height. It has a cylindrical trunk measuring about 60 cm in diameter with white latex in its parts. The bark of the trunk is fragile and is greyish brown or black in colour.Methods: The acute oral toxicity test was done using up and down method. The anti-ulcerogenic activities of the leaf, seed and stem bark extracts were evaluated using ethanol-induced ulceration model in rats.Results: There were no signs of morbidity and mortality in rats following oral acute toxicity test. The extracts produced a significant (p<0.05) dose dependent reduction in the number of ulcers and ulcer scores reducing them from 14.00±2.82 and to 56.00±4.55 to as low as 2.00±1.21 and 8.45±1.24 respectively. The ulcer preventive index was also increased by P. nitida extracts in a dose dependent manner with the (Picralima nitida leaf extract) PNLE at the dose of 400 mg/kg causing up to 76.13% inhibition of ulcers in the rats.Conclusions: Picralima nitida extracts demonstrated significant anti-ulcerogenic activities in ethanol-induced gastric ulcerations in rats

Misconceptions about oral health among a group of Nigerian primary school teachers

Objective: To identify the various misconceptions that still exist among teachers about oral health practices and their incorrect ideas about dental conditions. Method: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out between May and September 2008 among 640 primary school teachers in Oredo Local Government area of Benin City, Nigeria. Data collection was by the use of self –administered questionnaire. Result: More than a third of the respondents (39.6%) felt that tooth decay is caused by worms, 0.3% felt it is caused by black magic. While 11.9% felt gingival bleeding is caused by worms. Tooth loss was considered a natural process by 43% of the respondents and 53.1% did not feel it is possible to keep all the teeth in the dentition for life. In addition, 23.2% did not consider tooth loss a serious health problem. Traditional medicine was used for toothache and gingival bleeding in 5.0% and 2.6% of cases respectively, while 6.5% reported self medication. Improvement of oral hygiene by toothbrushing was considered ineffective in the prevention of gum disease by 15.3% of the respondents. Conclusion: This survey revealed that a few misconceptions still exist among teachers about what constitutes appropriate oral health practices and correct knowledge of oral diseases and remedies. These misconceptions should be corrected to prevent the teachers form impacting incorrect knowledge on the children they teach. In service training of the teachers in the area of oral health is therefore recommended.Keywords: Oral health, misconception, teachersNig Dent J Vol 20 No. 1 Jan - June 201

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF Manniophyton africanum LEAF EXTRACT IN MICE

The antidiarrhoeic activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Manniophyton africanum (MEMA) has been evaluated out in mice using different models (Castor oil-induced diarrhoea, effects on gastrointestinal motility, and castor oil-induced gastric enteropooling). MEMA (200,400 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited at 5% significance level, the frequency of defecation and reduced the wetness of faecal droppings in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, markedly inhibited the movement of charcoal meal plug through the gastrointestinal tract, in a dose dependent manner, comparable to diphenoxylate and atropine. It however had no effect in the intra luminal fluid content in the castor oil-induced gastric enteropooling. Diphenoxylate (5 mg/kg) and atropine (3 mg/kg) were used as the reference drugs. MEMA were also found to be possessing marginal (52-66%) free radical scavenging activities in vitro using the DPPH and FRAP models. The remarkable antidiarrhoeal property of MEMA in vivo gives credence to its use in the management of a wide range of diarrhoeal state