The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of governance practices on sustainable development in County Governments in Kenya: A Case of Kitui County. The objectives were; to determine the influence of ethical, human resource management, performance evaluation and risk management practices on sustainable development in Kitui County and to assess the influence of risk management on sustainable development in Kitui County. The study was guided by the governance and sustainable livelihoods theories. The study adopted mixed methodology and thus applied concurrent triangulation research design. Questionnaires were used to collect data from junior employees whereas interviews were used to collect data from senior management employees. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in narrative forms. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using multiple linear regression to assess the relationship between governance practices and sustainable development. This was conducted with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 23). The quantitative findings using tables and charts. The study established that realization of sustainable development in Kitui County is still low with many employees being unproductive, not meeting daily deadlines and inefficient as well as high unemployment rates. There are too many unethical work practices, ineffective human resource management practices, infrequent performance evaluation and ineffective risk management practices which has compromised realization of sustainable development. Thus, the study recommends that employees should be trained to understand the essence of productivity at work places, meeting of daily deadlines and being efficient. The county government should enforce adherence to ethical practices as a way of realizing sustainable development. The county government should recruit new employees, remunerate the existing ones very well and ensure promotions of the employees. The county government should constantly conduct job analysis and evaluation in order to place right employees for the right jobs and ensure that no employee has too much workload which might compromise efficiency and productivity. The county government, besides provision of safety materials, should train staff on personal and environment safety measures. This should go a long way in implementing OSHA Act to reduce cases of accidents and injuries which might slow employees’ productivity and efficiency.

The growth of the financial sector all over the world has been imbued with financial innovations aimed at improving financial services and reducing cost of transactions. In a developing economy like Nigeria, financial innovations have gone digital as in the developed countries. This study has been carried out to investigate the effect of financial innovations on economic growth in Nigeria. Data on the e-payment system were used as financial innovation variables spanning 2008 to 2017. The Generalised Methods of Moments (GMM) employed for data analysed revealed that transactions through ATM, Mobile Banking, Internet Banking and Point of Sale terminals have significant positive effects on economic growth. Further results from the adjusted coefficient of determination (Adj R2) showed that about 79% of changes in economic growth can be explained by financial innovations. The study therefore concludes that financial innovation has high predictive power on economic growth of Nigeria and has impacted positively in determining Nigeria’s economic growth. However, care should be taken to identify and eliminate the risk associated with these innovations before promoting them.

Background: Digital Rectal Examination is used in the diagnosis of different urogenital and lower gastrointestinal pathology.

The knowledge and practice of this is taught in the medical schools.

Final year medical students who have completed their clinical rotations are expected to have learnt and practiced this in the course of their training.

This study evaluates the knowledge and practice of DRE amongst final year medical students of University of Ibadan.

Methodology:- A cross sectional study of 2 consecutive sets of final year medical students of University of Ibadan, was conducted just before their final examination using a semi-structure questionnaire. This was done at completion of all their clinical rotation.

Result:- Out of the 120 medical students who consented to the study, 110 (92%) have been taught DRE. Eighty seven (79%) of those who have been taught, have done digital rectal examination.   

Sixty-six (60%) have done 3 or less throughout their ward postings.

Ten precent of the students did not perform DRE due to patient’s refusal while 15% did not want to disturb the patient.

Nineteen percent do not believe DRE is for medical student, while 20% believe that their choice of future specialty affected their attitude toward DRE.

Fifty students representing 41.7% of all students who took part in the study think DRE is not necessary for patients with hemoptysis.

58.5% of all the students regretted not applying themselves fully to their postings.

Conclusion:-  While most student have been taught Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), the practice of this important physical sign falls short of expectation.

There is need for trainers to emphasize the importance of mastering clinical signs by repeated performance in order to make these young medical students better clinicians in future.

Succession in family business is an important factor for business continuity and most of the family business successors are males which shows that leadership is lopsided against females in Jos, Nigeria. This study examined gender preference and succession of family business in Jos, Plateau State. It focused on the perception about the succession process in family businesses regarding gender issues and why daughters may feel discriminated for succeeding their parents in a family business. It examined the influence of cultural stereotype and trust on family business succession with focal point among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Jos metropolis, Plateau State. Structured questionnaire schedule was administered and data were obtained from 220 SMEs using a cross-sectional survey of descriptive research design. Data from the questionnaire were analysed using multiple regression in establishing relationship among the variables. The findings indicated that cultural stereotype and trust has significant influence on the choice of a successor in family business. It was recommended that the ability to manage family business should be paramount in choosing a successor rather than to stereotype daughters on the basis of culture, as that will determine whether the business will survive.

In recent times alluding to the subject of building projects and the built environmentis not without giving considerable attention to sustainability. The thrust of this paper is to present the significance of timber as a sustainable building material, the advantages of its physical and aesthetic qualities, workability, and environmental impact are highlighted. However this is not without proffering solutions to problems associated with its usage, which include; but not limited to the following: acceptability, fungal attacks, fire resistance etc. In Nigeria, the degree to which timber is being utilized by professionals in the building industry is not only limited to understanding of the material, but also by their perception of the material. An issue that stems mostly from insufficient knowledge about its performance characteristics.Combining the review of relevant literature, and qualitative data collection method, this paper reports on evidence based research. This study therefore concluded that through proper planning, and efficient application of timber in highly valued buildings, the potential for sustainable technologies to develop is likely to be greater than if the material is wasted on low value or poorly designed buildings.

The Schlumberger electrode configuration was used to carry out Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) at Irrua, Esan central, Edo State . A total of four (4) Vertical Electrical Soundings were carried out in the study area. The electrode spread was up to 450metres in almost all sites. The main equipment used for the electrical resistivity was the ABEM A.C. terrameter and its accessories. The data was interpreted qualitatively using the partial curve matching technique and quantitatively by computer iterative modelling. The results obtained from the VES stations showed five geoelectric layers made up of dry top soil, sand-clay, clayey-sand and sandstones which were interpreted using hand dug wells data as a control to detect various lithological boundaries and aquifer existence in the area. The thickness of near surface aquifer was found to be between 142m and ∞ while the depth to the deep fresh water aquifer was found to be between 27.5m and 267.5m. Some of the VES sites have good prospect for groundwater potential for shallow hand dug wells.

Genu varum deformity in children remains a major worry for parents. 

Children with pathologic genu varum deformities usually undergo corrective osteotomy to correct the deformity.

Several methods of osteotomy which include closing wedge lateral tibial osteotomy,  dome osteotomy,  opening wedge medial osteotomy have been employed.

Objective:  Objective of the study was to determine the usefulness of autologous fibular strut graft as a substitute for other iliac crest graft, bone substitutes and implants as graft to fill the void and maintain the patency of the open wedge and correction.

Methods

Seventeen children underwent opening wedge osteotomy and the ipsilateral fibular strut was harvested to maintain patency of the open wedge and  fill the void .

Result

15 of the 17 children had their deformities corrected with radiological union showing callus which incorporated the strong fibular strut in serial radiograghs.at 6weeks and  12weeks.

  All expect 2 children bore full weight at 16 weeks with satisfactory correction of the deformity. One patient has deep infections and opted for another referral facility at 16 weeks.

Conclusion:

Autologous fibular strut graft is a very good if not a better graft for open wedge medial tibial osteotomy due to its strength,  durability in maintaining correction, its cost effectiveness, the convenience of graft harvest and limited sites of wound and pain.