Farmers Adoption Scenarios for the Control of Cassava Mosaic Disease under the Cassava Enterprise Development Project in Enugu State, Nigeria

This study determined farmers’ adoption levels of the cassava varieties and value adding technologies introduced under the project. Data for the study were collected from 260 randomly selected respondents using interview schedule. Farmers’ adoption indices were used to summarize information on adoption levels, while exploratory factor analysis procedure using principal factor model with varimax rotation was used in grouping the major constraint factors to adoption. Results showed that farmers were still at the interest stage of the adoption of the cassava mosaic disease (CMD) resistant varieties ( ̅=2.44), cassava processing innovations ( ̅=2.32), and improved marketing methods ( ̅=2.25). Farmers were at the evaluation stage in the adoption of agronomic practices ( ̅= 3.27) while, processors were at the evaluation stage in both processing and improved marketing innovations ( ̅= 3.43 and 3.12 respectively). However, they were at interest stage ( ̅= 2.84) in the adoption of the value adding technologies. Public and private extension agencies should therefore be encouraged to continue the extension service delivery of the CEDP innovations for greater proportion of cassava farmers to adopt the new varieties for sustainable production of cassava in the country.Keywords: Improved cassava variety, Cassava mosaic disease, Cassava enterprise development projec

Effect Of CARICAPRYL-99 Seed Alkaloid Extract On The Serum Levels Of Sex Hormones And Pituitary Gonadotrophins In Male Albino Rats

Summary: Activity of alkaloid extract of caricapryl–99 seeds (Carica papaya Linn seeds) on the serum levels of steroid hormones was studied in adult male albino rats. Three tolerated doses obtained from the graph of percectage toxicity (10, 50 and 150 mg/kg) were separately administered orally, daily for three days to three groups of male rats (n=5) while group four of 5 rats received the vehicle (corn oil) as control. The results showed that 10mg/kg/d caused increase serum levels of FSH and estrogen but decrease in the serum levels of LH and testosterone compared to control; 50mg/kg/d elevated the serum levels of FSH, estrogen but inhibited testosterone; while 150mg/kg/d pretreatments caused a significant decrease (

Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy

This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the costroute approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers

Abdominal surgical site infection incidence, risk factors, and antibiotic susceptibility at a university teaching hospital in western Uganda: A cross-sectional study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSIs) is a global burden that contributes towards morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing abdominal surgeries. There is paucity of data on SSIs in resource constrained Uganda to guide antibiotic protocols.This study aimed to determine the incidence of SSIs, risk factors, common causative bacteria and their susceptibility patterns amongst patients undergoing abdominal surgeries at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital (KIUTH), Uganda.Methods: Cross-sectional observational cohort study involving culture and sensitivity of pus swabs from surgical sites of consented consecutive patients. Laboratory tests were performed at the United States Army Research Laboratory on Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). Data was analysed using SPSS 20.0. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were performed at 95% confidence interval, regarding pResults: Of the 138 patients, 17.4% (n=24) developed SSIs. The risk factors for SSIs were comorbidity with diabetes mellitus, cancer without enrolment for anti-cancer treatment, pre-operative white blood cell count >11.0×109 cells/L, and HB Conclusions: The prevalence of SSIs in the present study was higher than previously reported. P. aeruginosa, E. coli, S. aureus, MRSA, and K. pneumoniae were the leading cause of SSIs. These bacteria demonstrated multiple drug resistance.Keywords: antibiotic resistance, surgical site infection, sepsis, risk-factors, Uganda</p

Technical Efficiency of Small-Holder Cocoyam Farmers in Anambra State Nigeria: Implications for Agricultural Extension Policy

This study employed the Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function to measure the level of technical efficiency in small-holder cocoyam production in Anambra state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoyam farmers in the state in 2005 and from them input-output data were obtained using the costroute approach. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. The result of the analysis shows that individual farm level technical efficiency was about 95%. The study found education and farming experience to be positively and significantly related to technical efficiency at 1% while practice index, fertilizer use and membership of cooperative societies also had a direct relationship with technical efficiency and were significant at 5% level. Age and farm size had an indirect relationship with technical efficiency and was significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. There were no significant relationship between technical efficiency and knowledge index, credit access and family size. Expected increases in agriculture require increase in agricultural productivity. In other words, agricultural productivity very much depends on the efficiency of the production process. Hence, policies designed to educate people through proper agricultural extension services will have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence agricultural productivity of these farmers

Stroke prevalence amongst sickle cell disease patients in Nigeria: a multi-centre study

Background: Stroke is a life-changing, debilitating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Previous studies had recorded high stroke prevalence amongst this group of patients. Nigeria has a large population of people affected by this condition and this study aims to assess the stroke prevalence in this large population.Methodology: Stroke prevalence data from 14 physicians working in 11 tertiary health centres across the country was collated by doctors using the sickle cell registers and patient case notes. This data was then collated and used to obtain the overall stroke prevalence in adult and children.Results: The stroke prevalence in sickle cell disease patients in Nigeria was observed to be 12.4 per 1000 patients. Prevalence in the adult patients was 17.7 per 1000 patients and 7.4 per 1000 patients in children. Twenty three percent of the affected patients had more than stroke episode.Conclusion: The stroke prevalence in Nigeria is lower than previously recorded rates and further studies will be required to investigate other factors which may play a role.Keywords: sickle cell, stroke, Nigeria, prevalenc

Liana communities exhibit different species composition, diversity and community structure across forest types in the Congo Basin

Lianas are poorly characterized for central African forests. We quantify variation in liana composition, diversity and community structure in different forest types in the Yangambi Man and Biosphere Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo. These attributes of liana assemblages were examined in 12 1-ha plots, randomly demarcated within regrowth forest, old growth monodominant forest, old growth mixed forest and old growth edge forest. Using a combination of multivariate and univariate community analyses, we visualize the patterns of these liana assemblage attributes and/or test for their significant differences across forest types. The combined 12 1-ha area contains 2,638 lianas (>= 2 cm diameter) representing 105 species, 49 genera and 22 families. Liana species composition differed significantly across forest types. Taxonomic diversity was higher in old growth mixed forests compared to old growth monodominant and regrowth forests. Trait diversity was higher than expected in the regrowth forest as opposed to the rest of forest types. Similarly, the regrowth forest differed from the rest of forest types in the pattern of liana species ecological traits and diameter frequency distribution. The regrowth forest was also less densely populated in lianas and had lower liana total basal area than the rest of forest types. We speculate that the mechanism of liana competitive exclusion by dominant tree species is mainly responsible for the lower liana species diversity in monodominant compared to mixed forests. We attribute variation in liana community structure between regrowth and old growth forests mostly to short development time of size hierarchies

CD4+ and viral load outcomes of antiretroviral therapy switch strategies after virologic failure of combination antiretroviral therapy in perinatally HIV-infected youth in the United States

Objective: This study compared 12-month CD4+ and viral load outcomes in HIV-infected children and adolescents with virological failure, managed with four treatment switch strategies. Design: This observational study included perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) children in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) and Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials (PACTG) Protocol 219C. Methods: Treatment strategies among children with virologic failure were compared: continue failing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART); switch to new cART; switch to drug-sparing regimen; and discontinue all ART. Mean changes in CD4+% and viral load from baseline (time of virologic failure) to 12 months follow-up in each group were evaluated using weighted linear regression models. Results: Virologic failure occurred in 939 out of 2373 (40%) children. At 12 months, children switching to new cART (16%) had a nonsignificant increase in CD4+% from baseline, 0.59 percentage points [95% confidence interval (95% CI) −1.01 to 2.19], not different than those who continued failing cART (71%) (−0.64 percentage points, P = 0.15) or switched to a drug-sparing regimen (5%) (1.40 percentage points, P = 0.64). Children discontinuing all ART (7%) experienced significant CD4+% decline −3.18 percentage points (95% CI −5.25 to −1.11) compared with those initiating new cART (P = 0.04). All treatment strategies except discontinuing ART yielded significant mean decreases in log10VL by 12 months, the new cART group having the largest drop (−1.15 log10VL). Conclusion: In PHIV children with virologic failure, switching to new cART was associated with the best virological response, while stopping all ART resulted in the worst immunologic and virologic outcomes and should be avoided. Drug-sparing regimens and continuing failing regimens may be considered with careful monitoring