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Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of rectal diclofenac for relieving postoperative pain following diagnostic hystero-laparoscopy and dye test (dHLD). Methods: A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was conducted among women who underwent dHLD to evaluate fertility. The women received either rectal diclofenac with intramuscular pentazocine or intramuscular pentazocine with rectal placebo for postoperative analgesia. The median pain scores at different time points were assessed as the primary outcome measures using the Numerical Rating Scale for pain. The secondary outcome measures were analgesic consumption, time at which first analgesic was requested, satisfaction with pain relief and any adverse events. Results: In total, 108 participants were analysed (54 in each group, 1:1 ratio). The median score for postoperative pain was lower for the diclofenac group compared with the placebo group at 4 h (52.53 vs 56.47; p = 0.507), 6 h (50.48 vs 58.52; p = 0.174), 8 h (51.42 vs 57.65; p = 0.296), 10 h (51.35 vs 57.65; p = 0.285) and 12 h (52.45 vs 56.55; p = 0.485) post surgery, although the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Seventeen participants required rescue analgesia with 30 mg of pentazocine: 11 at 4 h post surgery [5 (62.5 %) vs 6 (66.7 %)], three at 6 h post surgery [2 (25.0 %) vs 1 (11.1 %)], two at 8 h post surgery [1 (12.5 %) vs 1 (11.1 %)], and one at 12 h post surgery [0 vs 1 (11.1 %)] for the diclofenac and placebo groups respectively (p = 0.713). There were no significant differences in postoperative adverse effect profiles, overall patient satisfaction, and need for rescue analgesia between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Postoperative use of rectal diclofenac and pentazocine is safe, but did not significantly improve pain scores, patient satisfaction and need for rescue analgesia following dHLD, compared with patients who received pentazocine and placebo. While a multi-modal approach to pain relief following dHLD does not appear to be significantly beneficial, a multi-centre study is needed to confirm or refute these findings.

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 is one of the global strategies to the containment of the disease. This global effort is being hampered by vaccination hesitancy which is more worrisome in low-resource countries like sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the awareness of COVID-19 disease, COVID-19 vaccine uptake and its determinants in a rural Nigerian setting. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional study of 460 participants recruited at random between 1st August and 30th of September 2021 in a rural hospital in Anambra state, Nigeria. The participants were interviewed using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data obtained were represented using frequency table, percentages, bar chart, and odds ratio. The level of significance was at P value < 0.05. Results: The majority were aware of COVID-19 disease; and mass media was the major source of information. Seven percent (7.0%) of the participants had received COVID-19 vaccine. A significant number (216/460, 15.9%) were afraid of the vaccine. Reasons adduced for poor uptake included vaccination center being far, cost of transportation, and non-availability of vaccine. Vaccine uptake was significantly affected by participants’ age [aOR= 3.69 95% CI (1.63–13.14); P = 0.044], and a family member being already vaccinated [aOR=11.27 95% CI (1.60–78.78); P = 0.015]. Conclusion: The uptake of COVID-19 vaccine is very low among the study population. This highlights the need for healthcare providers in the study population to reeducate and provide better information to the population on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.

Objectives: To compare Premaquick biomarkers (combined insulin-like growth-factor binding protein 1 and interleukin-6) and cervical length measurement via transvaginal ultrasound for pre-induction cervical evaluation at term among pregnant women. Methods: A randomized clinical trial of consenting pregnant women at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria. The women were randomized equally into Premaquick group ( n = 36) and transvaginal ultrasound group ( n = 36). The cervix was adjudged ‘ripe’ if the Premaquick test was positive or if the trans-vaginal measured cervical length was less than 28 mm. The primary outcome measures were the proportions of women who needed prostaglandin analogue for cervical ripening and the proportion that achieved vaginal delivery after induction of labour. The trial was registered in Pan African clinical trial registry (PACTR) registry with approval number PACTR202001579275333. Results: The baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups ( p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of proportion of women that required prostaglandins for pre-induction cervical ripening (41.7 versus 47.2%, p = 0.427), vaginal delivery (77.8 versus 80.6%, p = 0.783), mean induction to delivery interval (22.9 ± 2.81 h versus 24.04 ± 3.20 h, p = 0.211), caesarean delivery (22.2 versus 19.4%, p = 0.783), proportion of neonate with birth asphyxia (8.30 versus 8.30%, p = 1.00) and proportion of neonate admitted into special care baby unit (16.7 versus 13.9%, p = 0.872). Subgroup analysis of participants with ‘ripe’ cervix at initial pre-induction assessment showed that the mean induction to active phase of labour interval and mean induction to delivery interval were significantly shorter in Premaquick than transvaginal ultrasound group. Conclusion: Pre-induction cervical assessment at term with either Premaquick biomarkers or transvaginal ultrasound for cervical length is effective, objective and safe with similar and comparable outcome. However, when compared with women with positive transvaginal ultrasound at initial assessment, women with positive Premaquick test at initial assessment showed a significantly shorter duration of onset of active phase of labour and delivery of baby following induction of labour.

Abstract The study analysed the economics of pineapple marketing for entrepreneurial utilization in Anambra State Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 104 respondents which comprised of 40 retailers and 64 wholesalers randomly sampled from eight markets of the study area (4 markets from each of the two cities). The markets are Main market, Ose, Ochanja and bridge-head market areas were selected from Onitsha commercial city while Eke, Nkwo Amaenyi, Aroma junction and Nnamdi Azikwe University(UNIZIK) temporary site market areas were chosen from Awka Capital city. The markets were purposively selected because they are where higher concentration of middlemen in pineapple business are commonly found in the cities. Descriptive statistics and gross margin analysis were used in data analysis. The study inter alia revealed that the majority (62%) of pineapple consumed in the study area were sourced by the middlemen from outside Anambra State, showing that the state is not self-sufficient in the crop’s production. Respective return on investment made by the wholesalers and retailers were (0.23 and 0.32) indicating that the trade on the crop is profitable. It was further revealed that high transportation cost and lack of fund to increase business scale were the main constraints of the pineapple traders. The study concluded that investment opportunities exist on the crop’s market, production and processing and therefore recommends that the potential traders and entrepreneurs should exploit the crop’s business potentials.

The study examined access and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP). A multi stage sampling technique was used in selecting respondents from the zones, blocks and circles. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 69 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and simple linear regression. Mobile phone ( ) was highly accessible to extension workers. Also, mobile phone was available in ADP office and very often used. Factors that militated against extension workers’ access and use of ICTs were: poor ICT skills, inadequate support by organization and government and high cost of maintenance of ICT tools. The number of ICTs owned showed significant influence on level of ICTs utilization among extension workers. Access and use of ICT in Anambra State ADP was relatively low and there is need for an intervention by governments and non-governmental organizations.

The effects of electron-wall interactions on cross magnetic field electron momentum and energy losses in Hall effect thrusters are studied. The results suggest that the electron-wall interactions do not play a very important role in the electron momentum balance in the channel, as the anomalous conductivity is only due to the microturbulence or field fluctuations.

The electronic absorption. fluorescence excitation, and fluorescence emission spectra of a series of pteridines (lumazine, xanthopterin, isoxanthopterin, biopterin) and riboflavin (vitamin B2) were measured at room temperature (298 K) in a number of solvents covering a wide range of polarities (dioxane, ethyl ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, 1-butanol. 2-propanol, ethanol, methanol, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide). The effects of the solvent upon the spectral properties are discussed. Experimental groundstate dipole moments were measured for selected compounds and were used in combination with the spectral data to evaluate their first excited singlet-state dipole moments by means of the solvatochromic shift method (Bakhshiev's and Kawski-Chamma-Viallet's equations based on the variation of the Stokes shift with the solvent dielectric constant-refractive index term). The theoretical ground and excited singlet-state dipole moments for all pteridines and riboflavin were calculated as a vector sum of the π-component (obtained by the PPP method) and the a-component (obtained from a-bond moments). A second set of theoretical values was obtained by using the CNDO/2method. A good agreement was observed between the experimental and the theoretical values. Excited singlet-state dipole moments are higher than the ground state values by 1 to 6 Debye units for all the pteridines under study with the exception of xanthopterin.

Hall effect thrusters (HETs) are ion sources used for satellite station keeping and orbit raising. In Single Stage HETs, the same electric field is responsible for electron heating and ion acceleration. We present a new HET concept where ionization and acceleration are separated in two different stages. This double stage HET allows for a more versatile operation and a separate control of thrust and specific impulse. Index Terms--Electric propulsion, Hall effect thruster (HET), hybrid model, ion source.