Effect of darting phenomenon of African catfish Heterobranchus longifilis (Burchell 1822) on growth performance of Nile tilapia: Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Replicate Ponds of 0.02ha stocked at 500 catfishes with 20,000 tilapia/ha were used to assess growth performance of O.niloticus, average weight 50.4g with (i) darted catfish; H.longifilis (shooters) average weight 60.3g (ii) non-shooters of H.longifilis, average weight 35.4g. Final mean weight, mean growth rate, specific growth rate and food conversion ratio were 499.5g 26g/day, 1.36% and 5.58% respectively for O.niloticus stocked with longifilis (shooters) and 440.4g 2.3g/day 1.23% and 5.58% respectively for O.niloticus stocked with H.longifilis (non- shooters) and 246.9g, 1.2g/day, 0.93, 6.30% respectively for tilapia in monoculture. The least growth was noted for O. niloticus in monoculture while the best growth was recorded O. niloticus in polyculture with darted catfis

Correlation Effects of Gender and Entry Qualifications on the Performance of Undergraduate Engineering Students in Universities

Enrollment into engineering disciplines in tertiary institutions has always been identified for gender bias, higher population favoring the masculine. However, reports on the standard ratio of this bias nor the issue of whether it has any significant impact on academic performance of engineering students (POES) scarcely exist. Meanwhile, Nigerian Universities still enjoy autonomy and their admission policies on entry requirements vary. Hence, this study examined the possible influence of gender and entry qualification (EQ) on POES. Data collected from 491 undergraduate engineering students from two universities were statistically analyzed. The study revealed female to male population ratio of 1:9. The result of statistical analysis showed that EQ has a significant effect on POES (p0.05). Therefore, a more critical priority must be given to entry qualification and not the gender of the students intending to study engineering during admission and screening. However, female students need to be more encourage since they can competitively perform as their male counterpart in engineering lest the profession becomes a male affair

Impact of Class Size on Learning, Behavioral and General Attitudes of Students in Secondary Schools in Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria

Poor performance of university undergraduate students has been traced to their poor academic performance and attitudes in secondary schools. There was concern over whether class size was responsible for this. Researches on the effect of class size on academic performance and achievement exist. The study was carried out to investigate the impact of class size on students’ attitude to studies using four (4) selected secondary schools in Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria. Possible effect of class size on the general, learning and behavioral attitudes were considered. Its impact was also correlated with effect of other possible factors. Questionnaires were administered to three hundred and sixty students selected evenly from JSS1-SS2 classes in each of the schools. Two of the schools were private while the other two were owned by government. Ten (10) hypotheses were tested in the study. It was found that class size has a highly significant impact on students’ attitudes to studies in secondary school (p\u3c 0.05). It affects students’ attention most strongly, then punctuality, motivation and participation but not the rate of participation and asking or answering questions. The result also revealed that excessive noise is the most common behavioral attitude associated with large classes. Hence, a serious attention should be paid to class size in every educational setting for optimum learning achievement

Perceptions on the Utilization of Mobile Technologies for Learning among Postgraduate Students

This study determined the perceptions of the utilization of mobile technologies for learning among Postgraduate Students in Kwara State. The study adopted survey approach. The population for this study was made up of all the postgraduate students in Kwara State. Proportional sampling techniques were used to allocate a number of respondents in each school based on their estimated population using Israel Model. The instrument for data collection was an adapted questionnaire. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to answer the research question and test the stated hypotheses with the aid of stastistical product and service solution (SPSS) version 20.0 at 0.05 level of significant. The findings indicated that postgraduate students had positive perception of the utilization and ease of use of mobile technologies for learning. No significant difference exists in the postgraduate students’ perception of the utilization of mobile technologies for learning based on gender and the field of study. The study concluded that learning can be enhanced among postgraduates’ students if appropriate mobile technologies are deployed for learning. Therefore, postgraduate students are encouraged to deploy mobile technology for learning irrespective of their gender

Tonsillar enlargement in apparently healthy adults in a rural community in Nigeria

Background: Tonsillar enlargement could worsen airway obstruction thereby causing apnea and hypoventilation. This is rarely investigated especially in developing country, hence this study which was aimed at determining the prevalence of enlarged palatine tonsils and comparing the degree of obstruction with selected anthropometric measurements in healthy adults in a rural community.Methods: A cross-sectional study of apparently healthy adults (≥ 18 years) in Oyo community, South Western Nigeria. The participants were selected using multistage random sampling technique. Interviewer assisted structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information on age, gender, occupation, history of smoking and snoring. Ear, nose and throat examination was done and Brodsky grading of tonsil documented. The neck circumference (cm), weight (kilogram) and height (meter) were measured and their Body Mass Indices (BMI) calculated. The data was analysed using IBM- Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 and text of association between tonsillar grade, and BMI and Neck circumference was performed using Chi Square.Results: Participants were 408 subjects, consisting 202 (49.5%) males and 206 (50.5%) females, the mean age was 37 ± 15.2 years. One hundred and fifteen (28.2%) participants had enlarged Palatine tonsils of which; 70 (17.2%) had grade 1 enlargement, 33(8.1%) had grade II enlargement, and 12(2.9%) had grade III enlargement. None of the participants had grade IV tonsillar enlargement. The Mean Body Mass 2 Index was 24.32 ± 4.50 kg/m and mean neck circumference was 34.08 ± 2.70cm. Palatine tonsillar enlargement was significantly associated with young age (p = 0.01), female gender (p = 0.02), and neck circumference (p =0.01), but not with high BMI (P = 0.06).Conclusion: Tonsillar enlargement is prevalent, and it is associated with young age, and female gender, but not with Body Mass Index and neck circumference.Keywords: Adults, Body mass index, Gender, Neck circumference, Palatine Tonsi

Vaginal microbiota diversity and paucity of Lactobacillus species are associated with persistent hrHPV infection in HIV negative but not in HIV positive women.

Funder: Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006671The vaginal microbiota is thought to play a role in modulating risk of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection. We examined the relationship between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV infection in HIV-negative and HIV-positive women. We used 16S-rRNA sequencing to characterize the vaginal microbiota of two serial samples taken six months apart from 211 Nigerian women (67%, 142/211 HIV-positive and 33%, 69/211 HIV-negative) and evaluated the association between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV infection using generalized estimating equation logistic regression models and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) algorithm to identify phylotypic biomarkers of persistent hrHPV infection. The high diversity microbiota, Community State Type IV-B, was the most prevalent in both HIV-negative (38% at baseline, 30% at the follow-up visit) and HIV-positive (27% at baseline, 35% at the follow-up visit) women. The relationship between the vaginal microbiota and persistent hrHPV was modified by HIV status. In HIV-negative women, women with Lactobacillus dominant microbiota had lower odds (OR: 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.89, p = 0.03) of persistent hrHPV compared to women with Lactobacillus deficient microbiota. While among HIV-positive women, the odds of being persistently infected with hrHPV was higher in women with Lactobacillus dominant microbiota (OR: 1.25, 95% CI 0.73-2.14 p = 0.41). This difference in effect estimates by HIV was statistically significant (p = 0.02). A high diversity vaginal microbial community with paucity of Lactobacillus species was associated with persistent hrHPV infection in HIV-negative women but not in HIV-positive women

Strategies for recruitment and retention of teen mothers in a program to prevent repeat pregnancy

Background: We describe challenges to recruitment and retention of teen mothers in a study to prevent repeat teen pregnancies, and strategies used to overcome them. Methods: We documented recruitment efforts, the teens who were retained at each stage of the intervention and changes to strategies. Results: Challenges to recruitment and retention were related to lifestyles, immaturity, and competing demands, among others. Successful strategies included bus advertisements, early pairing of teens with mentors, using electronic media, convenient meeting times with a meal, providing child care, transportation vouchers and immediate incentives. Conclusions: This study highlights impediments to teen mother research recruitment and retention, and the value of emerging technologies and strong bonding relationships early in the intervention to maximize recruitment and retention

HIV associated high-risk HPV infection among Nigerian women

Background: In developed countries, the incidence of cervical cancer has remained stable in HIV+ women but the prevalence and multiplicity of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection, a necessary cause of cervical cancer, appears different comparing HIV+ to HIV- women. Little is known about HIV and HPV co-infection in Africa. Methods: We enrolled women presenting at our cervical cancer screening program in Abuja, Nigeria between April and August 2012, and collected information on demographic characteristics, risk factors of HPV infection and samples of exfoliated cervical cells. We used Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test® to characterize prevalent HPV and logistic regression models to estimate the association between HIV and the risk of hrHPV infection. Results: There were 278 participants, 54% (151) were HIV+, 40% (111) were HIV-, and 6% (16) had unknown HIV status. Of these, data from 149 HIV+ and 108 HIV- women were available for analysis. The mean ages (±SD) were 37.6 (±7.7) years for HIV+ and 36.6 (±7.9) years for HIV- women (p-value = 0.34). Among the HIV+ women, HPV35 (8.7%) and HPV56 (7.4%) were the most prevalent hrHPV, while HPV52 and HPV68 (2.8%, each) were the most prevalent hrHPV types among HIV- women. The multivariate prevalence ratio for any hrHPV and multiple hrHPV infections were 4.18 (95% CI 2.05 – 8.49, p-value <0.0001) and 6.6 (95% CI 1.49 – 29.64, p-value 0.01) respectively, comparing HIV + to HIV- women, adjusted for age, and educational level. Conclusions: HIV infection was associated with increased risk of any HPV, hrHPV and multiple HPV infections. Oncogenic HPV types 35, 52, 56 and 68 may be more important risk factors for cervical pre-cancer and cancer among women in Africa. Polyvalent hrHPV vaccines meant for African populations should protect against other hrHPV types, in addition to 16 and 18

2014 Epilepsy Benchmarks Area III: Improve Treatment Options for Controlling Seizures and Epilepsy-Related Conditions Without Side Effects

The Epilepsy Benchmark goals in Area III focus on making progress in understanding and controlling seizures and related conditions as well as on developing biomarkers and new therapies that will reduce seizures and improve outcomes for individuals with epilepsy. Area III emphasizes a need to better understand the ways in which seizures start, propagate, and terminate and whether those network processes are common or unique in different forms of epilepsy. The application of that knowledge to improved seizure prediction and detection will also play a role in improving patient outcomes. Animal models of treatment-resistant epilepsy that are aligned with etiologies and clinical features of human epilepsies are especially encouraged as necessary tools to understand mechanisms and test potential therapies. Antiseizure therapies that target (either alone or in combination) novel or multiple seizure mechanisms are prioritized in this section of the Benchmarks. Area III goals also highlight validation of biomarkers of treatment response and safety risk, effective self-management, and patient-centered outcome measures as important areas of emphasis for the next five to ten years