Archives-September 2019

LAM or Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis is an uncommon disease that predominantly touches women in their reproductive years. The disease is usually discovered in an incidentally way and detected in a high resolution thoracic CT scan. Its progress could lead to respiratory failure. This article is about a patient in our ward that got a chest CT scan in which the final diagnosis was a lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a case of tuberous sclerosis complex.

A multiband slotted and defected ground microstrip patch antenna which operates at more than one frequency has been designed. It effectively tunes at 3GHz, 5.5GHz and 7.8GHz with satisfactory return loss obtained at these resonant frequencies, which is -10.72dB, -13.38dB and -14.55dB respectively. Size of the antenna is going to be compact. The substrate FR4 epoxy (relative permittivity: 4.4) is used in the design of the antenna. Antenna design is proposed in different type of slots such as T-shaped and rectangular-shaped etc. slots in patch. This design can be used for wide range of Wireless applications. For the simulation HFSS is used.

The issue of labour turnover is central to many current related debates in economics, public policies and more so in human resources management. Monitoring of flow of employees in and out of the organization is crucial for the survival of many organizations. The critical in the operation of many businesses is labour which constitute human resources. This is because the cost of labour makes up the largest proportion of the operational cost of business and organization. The main objective was to determine the demographic factors that influence labour turnover among Micro Finance Institutions in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey design method. The study was conducted in selected Microfinance Institutions within the Nairobi city centre. The target population was the supervisors and subordinates of the MFIs. The study targeted 24 MFIs, supervisors and subordinates. Stratified random sampling was used to identify a sample of Six MFIs. Two supervisors and three subordinates were sampled. The main instrument for data collection was questionnaire which had both structured and unstructured questions. Secondary data was collected through annual reports. Pilot study was done and test retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instruments. Data analysis was done using SPSS and data presented inform of frequencies, percentages, tables and graphical presentations.

The issue of medical doctors not possessing empathy for the patients in the country (Nigeria) is quite alarming. This has been found to influence the willingness to seek health care and also the compliance and adherence of patients to treatment; yet not much research has been done to look into this problem. The study therefore investigated the influence of personality, religious affiliation, gender and age on empathy among medical undergraduates in Nigeria. An expo-facto research design was employed, and using purposive and accidental sampling techniques, a total of 295 medical students (144 males and 97 females) with age range between 16 and 41 years (Mean = 22.72; SD = 3.82) were selected as participants in the research. One hypothesis was formulated and tested with hierarchical regression analysis. The result revealed that agreeableness (? = .17; t = 2.61; p< .01), conscientiousness (? = 0.22; t = 3.52; p<0.01) and neuroticism (? = -.16, t = -2.58, p< .05) significantly predicted empathic behavior among the undergraduates, while extraversion and openness to experience did not. Age also predicted empathy (? = -0.13; t = -1.98, p<.05) in an inverse relationship implying the younger students were more empathic. Similarly, religious affiliation predicted empathy (? = -0.17, t = -2.50, p < 0.01). All variables of study accounted for 14% variation in the prediction of empathic behavior among Nigerian medical undergraduates. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that individualized intervention strategies based on personality traits should be integrated into programs to enhance empathy in medical education.

Owing to population growth, poor levels of hygiene and increasing urban poverty, the urban environment in many developing countries is rapidly deteriorating. Density packed housing in shanty towns or slums and inadequate drinking water supplies, garbage collection services, surface water drainage systems combine to create favourable habitats for the proliferation of vector and reservoirs of communicable diseases. As a consequence, vector borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, lymphatic filariasis are becoming major public health problems associated with rapid urbanization in many tropical countries. The problems in controlling these diseases and eliminating vectors and pests can be resolved by decision- makers and urban planners by moving away from the concept of “blanket” applications of pesticides towards integrated approaches. Sound environmental management practices are community education and participation from the mainstay of some of the most outstanding successes in this area.

Table of contents for the month of September 2019