Uterovaginal prolapse: the sociodemographic profile and reproductive health service uptake in a low resource setting, Calabar, Nigeria

Background: Uterovaginal prolapse is a common gynaecological condition in low resource countries because of high prevalence of grand multiparity, low skilled attendant at delivery and low contraceptive usage. Objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, sociodemographic profiles, utilization of reproductive health services and delay in seeking medical care of patient with uterovaginal prolapse in Calabar, Nigeria.Methods: This was a retrospective study of women who presented with uterovaginal prolapse at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria between 1st May 2009 and 1st June 2019. Patients case records were retrieved and analyzed. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 22.Results: The prevalence of genital prolapse was 0.3%. The mean age and parity were 60.19±8.71 years and 6.31±2.80, respectively. The mean duration of symptoms before presentation was 3.19±2.16 years. Genital prolapse was commonest among age group 60-79 years (52.8%), parity 5-9 (66.7%), post-menopausal (97.2%), primary education (55.6%) and farmers (47.2%). Grade 3 uterovaginal prolapse was the commonest grade (58.3%). Most patients (86.1%) had symptoms of genital prolapse for less than 5 years before seeking medical treatment. The majority of patients had no antenatal care during their pregnancies (80.6%), no skilled attendant at deliveries (86.1%) and no contraceptive use during their reproductive years (77.8%). Participants with lower parity (1-4) (p=0.03), higher educational level (p˂0.001) and teachers/civil servants (p=0.043) presented earlier (less than 1 year) to the hospital.Conclusions: There is poor utilization of reproductive health services among women who develop uterovaginal prolapse in study environment. Women with higher social status sought for help earlier. Increasing awareness of this condition and providing antenatal care, skilled birth attendants and contraceptive services will reduce the burden of this condition.

Joint microwave and infrared studies for soil moisture determination

The feasibility of using a combined microwave-thermal infrared system to determine soil moisture content is addressed. Of particular concern are bare soils. The theoretical basis for microwave emission from soils and the transport of heat and moisture in soils is presented. Also, a description is given of the results of two field experiments held during vernal months in the San Joaquin Valley of California

Primary post partum haemorhage (PPH) at the university of Maiduguri teaching hospital (UMTH): A ten-year review

Objective: To determine the incidence, risks and aetiological factors for Primary Post-Partum Haemorrhage (PPH) in UMTH. Design Retrospective descriptive study.Setting: University Of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria.Methods: The case records of all recorded cases of primary PPH between1stJanuary 2000 and 31stDecember 2009 inclusive, who were managed in UMTH were retrieved and relevant data obtained and analyzed.Results: Three hundred and seventy sixwomen had primary postpartum haemorrhage during the period under review with an incidence of 1.9%. However, only three hundred and two were available for analysis.Close to half of the women who had primary postpartum haemorrhage were grandmultiparous136(45%). Uterine atony was the commonest cause of primary PPH which was closely followed by retained placenta 37.7% and 22.5% respectively. This is attributed to mismanagement of labour. Majority of the patients were unbooked (63.6%) and about one third of the women had home delivery. The maternal mortality during the period was 96out of which 4were due to postpartum haemorrhage. The contribution of primary PPH to maternal mortality was 4.2% during the study period.Conclusion: Primary PPH is a largely preventable condition. Uterine atony and retained placenta were major causes of the condition in our center. This is a reflection of mismanagement of third stage of labour. Identification of patients at risk during pregnancy and labour with prompt intervention to prevent blood loss is advocated.Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 30 (1), April 201

Utilization of Ancillary Data Sets for SMAP Algorithm Development and Product Generation

Algorithms being developed for the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission require a variety of both static and ancillary data. The selection of the most appropriate source for each ancillary data parameter is driven by a number of considerations, including accuracy, latency, availability, and consistency across all SMAP products and with SMOS (Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity). It is anticipated that initial selection of all ancillary datasets, which are needed for ongoing algorithm development activities on the SMAP algorithm testbed at JPL, will be completed within the year. These datasets will be updated as new or improved sources become available, and all selections and changes will be documented for the benefit of the user community. Wise choices in ancillary data will help to enable SMAP to provide new global measurements of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state at the targeted accuracy necessary to tackle hydrologically-relevant societal issues

Effective Supply Chain Management: A Strategic Tool for Profitability Enhancement in the Competitive Marketing Environment (An Empirical Evidence in the Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry 2005 - 2014)

To compete successfully in today’s fierce and challenging business environment, companies need to focus on supply chain management components that have impact in enhancing profitability. The study examined Effective Supply Chain Management: A Strategic tool for Profitability Enhancement in the Competitive Marketing Environment ( An Empirical Evidence in the Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry 2005-2013). The problem x-rayed here stems from the huge cost burden and poor performance of industries in Nigeria which was made manifest by its low Profit After Tax and poor contribution of 6% to the Gross Domestic product (GDP) and also holding the fact that many firms have gone extinct from the marketing environment and only four companies (Honeywell flour mills Plc, Flour mills of Nigeria Plc, Northern Nigeria Flour Mill Plc and Lafarage Dangote Flour Mill Plc) control 50% of the entire flour mills market share among the 22 surviving firms. The major objective of this study is examining the relationship between Supply Chain Management cost components and Profitability of Food and  Beverage industry in Nigeria and their impact on firm’s survival as measured by the Profit After Tax (PAT) and other source document. Specifically, the objectives were to; examine the nature of relationship existing between supply chain management and profitability of the flour mills, ascertain if the volume of Goods in Transit affects the profitability of the flour mills and ascertain the supply chain management strategy/model adopted by the selected flour mills. Data collected from Annual reports of various issues were analyzed using inferential statistics such as Pearson correlation model and simple regression analysis. The results of the findings showed firms after investing heavily in their supply chain component does not  reflect significantly in their profitability. The study concludes that there is a significant relationship between Effective SCM and Profitability growth, that to ensure sustainable supply chain management operation which will ensure increased profitability in the industrial sector, Supply Chain operational inefficiencies ultimately will have adverse effects upon profits. Turning the situation round, difference in the efficiency of the inventory control for a given level of flexibility affects the level of investment required in inventory. The less efficient is the inventory control, the greater is the investment required. Excessive investment in inventories increase cost and reduce profits, thus, the effects of inventory control of flexibility and on level of investment required in inventories represent two sides of the same coin. This will also help in reducing the high cost burden which lies on the ability to reduce production cost Various recommendations were made which includes that production firms should adopt the SCM integration model that was specified in the study, to become competitive strategic weapon in such a way that it enhances their sales and profitability and also should adopt the Supply chain strategy/models that was developed in this study as it will best align with their operations and target customers, supply chain operations must abandon fragmented approaches

The Effect of Strategic Supply Chain Management on the Profitability of Flour Mills in the Sub-Saharan Africa (2005 - 2013)

To compete successfully in today’s fierce and challenging business environment, companies need to focus on supply chain management components that have impact in enhancing profitability. The study examined the effect of strategic supply chain management on the profitability of Flour Mills in the Sub-Saharan Africa (2005-2013). The problem x-rayed here stems from the huge cost burden on production firms in the sub-Saharan African region and their subsequent poor performance. The industry is marred by low profit margin as a result of high cost burden, as such the ability of the company to reduce production cost while increasing product output would largely determine profitability.  The major objective of this study is examining the effect of strategic Supply Chain Management on Profitability of Flour Mills in the Sub-Saharan African Region as measured by the Profit After Tax (PAT) and other source document. Specifically, the objectives were to; Determine the trend and level of profitability of the flour mills, Ascertain the Strategic supply chain management model adopted by the selected flour mills, Examine the effect of supply chain management cost components on the profit of the flour mills. Data collected from Annual reports of various issues were analyzed using inferential statistics such as Time trend model, Multiple and simple regression analysis. The results of the findings showed some firms in the region still see strategic supply chain management as a novel theory and as such does not reap its full benefits. Their huge investment in their supply chain component does not  reflect significantly in their profitability. The study concludes that all round development in the industrial sector (Flour mills) is possible with the integration of sound supply chain variables and exploitation of knowledgeable human resources and as well as adopting a sound supply chain management strategy/model. In Nigeria just like every other nation in the globe, when firms reaches the peak of their maturity stage in their life cycle, it starts experiencing stunted growth in terms of their profitability trend. Various recommendations were made which includes that Production firms should integrate their supply chain management operations efficiently in such a way that it enhances their sales and profitability and also should strive to create a Strategic Supply Chain system that will create value and manage risk for their numerous customers from origination and processing, to logistics and distribution, with the changing economic and political environment, emerging technology versus global competition and changing nature of supply chain management, to become competitive strategic weapon, supply chain operations must abandon fragmented approaches, the companies should shorten internal lead times and make them more predictable and repeatable and also reduce the volume of work-in-progress inventories from months of supply to days and that firms should strive to implement Just-in-time delivery strategies for their most costly component materials and also drastic reduction in the setup times, as this will substantially reduce indirect cost and improve the use of resources

Spatial Analysis Flood Risk Exposure in Ajeokuta Using Geographic Information System (GIS)

Heavy floods in Nigeria have shown increasing trend in recent years. Ajeokuta is one of the areas affected annually by flood due to its location along the river Niger basin.  Flood risk mapping and analysis are vital elements for appropriate land use planning in flood prone areas. The aim of this paper is to demarcate flood risk potential areas and determine the spatial impact of the recent major flood event in Ajeokuta using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. Identified flood inducing factors in the study area, such as slope, elevation, drainage density, proximity to the river and land use were reclassified and combined to delineate flood risk zones using multi-criteria approach in a GIS environment. The idea was to identify the areas with the highest number of flood inducing factors and assess its proximity to the inundated areas during the recent flood events as a criteria for determination of locations for future flood events. Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometre (MODIS) data of NASA terra satellite, SRTM, Landsat image with resolution of 30m, geographical map of the study area and geographical information system (GIS) were used for this purpose. Each of the flood indicators was reclassified into four which included high risk, moderately risk, low risk, and no risk  through  ranking process. Flood risk map (FRM) was later generated by overlaying the reclassified maps of all the parameters using addition operator and validated with a view to assisting decision makers on the menace posed by the disaster. The flood risk map revealed that the very high risky places covered area of 376.31 square kilometers (27.63%) while high risky covered 322.88 square kilometers (23.71%), The low risky areas covered 151.76 square kilometers (11.14%)  and areas free from risk covers 511.040 square kilometers (37.52%). This analysis further revealed that 56 settlements are within the very high risk zone these  includes  Geregu, Gbokojo, Adogu, upake, Adogo, Achaga, Badogo, upaga etc Keywords: Risk, Flood Disasters, GIS, S.R.T.M, MODIS DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-8-07 Publication date:August 31st 202

Pattern and risk factors of non-fistulous urinary incontinence among gynaecological clinic attendees in a Nigeria tertiary health institution

Background: Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. It is rarely disclosed by the patients and usually under-reported. Objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, pattern and risk factors of non-fistulous urinary incontinence among women attending gynaecological clinics in Calabar, Nigeria.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 658 women attending gynecological clinic from June 2018 to June 2019. English version of International consultation on incontinence questionnaire-urinary incontinence-short form (ICIQ-UI-SF) was used to obtain data. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 22.Results: The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 16.1%. Stress incontinence was the commonest of urinary incontinence (73.3%), other types were urge incontinence (17.2%) and mixed incontinence (9.5%). Independent risk factors for urinary incontinence were 40 years and above (AOR = 5.610; p<0.001), parity ≥3 (AOR = 4.454; p<0.001), lower educational level (primary) (AOR = 2.588; p<0.001), vaginal/instrumental deliveries (AOR = 4.358; p<0.001), carrying heavy load (AOR = 3.688; p<0.001) and farming (AOR = 3.510; p<0.001).Conclusions: Non-fistulous urinary incontinence is common among women in our environment. Stress urinary incontinence was the most common type. Advanced age, higher parity, vaginal and instrumental deliveries and farming were independent risk factors for urinary incontinence

JPL field measurements at the Finney County, Kansas, test site, October 1976: Ground-based microwave radiometric measurements

Microwave brightness temperature measurements were made as part of the Joint Soil Moisture Experiment. These measurements are reported with a description of the JPL microwave radiometry van facility. The data will be used with ground truth data from the test site and microwave data from aircraft overflights to investigate the potential of microwave radiometry for soil moisture remote sensing under field conditions

Earth Observation System-Based Impact Assessment of 2012 Flood in Delta State Nigeria

Flooding is one of the most serious natural hazards in the world. It has become a common natural disaster which has claimed many lives, displaced millions and resulted to the destruction of properties and degradation of contiguous farmland.  Though over the decades the people of Delta state have had to contend with sporadic overflows from the river but not in the scale of 2012 flood event. Flood in 2012, submerged coastal villages, displaced millions of people, submerged several square kilometers of land,  disrupt economic activities and properties worth of millions of naira was lost. This study was provoked based on the fact that since the disaster, no reliable investigation and inventory has been made as a guide for mitigation for future occurrence. Currently Earth observing system (EOS) is gaining popularity in solving many environmental problems due to its accurate and timely delivery of information required for decision making. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the impact of 2012 flood in delta state.  Pre-flood and flood imageries captured by and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometre (MODIS), Land sat imagery with resolution 30m, SRTM with resolution 30 arc second, questionnaire, interview, Global positioning system (GPS)  and geographic information system (GIS) was used for data collection and analysis. The map generated from the non-flood image captured on 20th October 2010 was used as a reference to determine the extent of flooding from the disaster image. Spatial impact was determined based on the extent of the submerged land territory while physical economic impact was measured based on property damages. This study revealed that a total landed area of 2185Sq.kms was covered by flood excluding the original extent of the river. Further assessment  revealed that 785000 people were affected, crops worth’s 3.1 billion naira were destroyed, 231 communities in 12 local government of the 25 local government areas were adversely affected these include 118 communities market, 743 market stalls, 220 primary schools, 84 secondary schools, 435 fish farms, 526 poultry farms, 58 piggeries and 5099 houses. Keywords: key words, MODIS, SRTM, Flood,  Hazard, Imagery DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-9-08 Publication date:September 30th 202