Explorative in vitro evaluation of the inhibitory effect of Vitellaria paradoxa seed oil extract on Staphylococcal conjunctivitis

More exploration on medicinal plants and other natural products in the present era of increase in poverty level and multi-drug resistance has become crucial. The aim of this study is to explore the inhibitory activities of Vitellaria paradoxa seed oil extract on isolated staphylococcal conjunctivitis. Cultured sample of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a patient’s eye discharge in the Teaching Hospital Laboratory of the Imo State University, Nigeria having been diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis at the eye Clinic. After the incubation period, the diameter of zones of inhibition both horizontal and vertical were measured. Concentrations (100, 50 and 25mg/ml) of the ethanolic seed oil extract of V. paradoxa were assayed for the antibacterial activity - Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using the agar well diffusion method. Ethanolic seed oil extract of V. paradoxa at concentration of 100mg /ml exhibited the highest zone of inhibition at 37.4mm for 24hrs followed by 50mg /ml and lowest using 25mg/ml (5.0mm) indicating a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on Staphylococcal conjunctivitis. S. aureus isolated from conjunctivitis swab was susceptible to ethanolic seed oil extract of V. paradoxa at 100mg/ml, 50mg/ml and 25mg/ml concentrations, suggesting ethanolic extract of V. paradoxa oil as possessing antimicrobial property. Further exploration for its use as an ocular anti-bacterial agent is recommended.

Pengaruh Produk Domestik Regional Bruto (PDRB) terhadap Tingkat Kemiskinan Kota Medan

This study has the benefit of analyzing the effect of regional gross domestic product on poverty in the city of Medan in 2010-2020. The research method used is a quantitative method with reference to a descriptive approach. The data used is time series data on economic growth and poverty at the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Medan City in 2010-2020. Data collection techniques used are journals, book documentation, and previous reports. The technique of analyzing the data uses simple linear regression analysis which is carried out to determine whether the model used is free from deviations from the classical assumption test. The equations obtained from the simple linear regression analysis test Y = 24576.325 – 0.365X and have the understanding that the GRDP variable (X) has a significant effect on Poverty (Y). Obtained a value of R2 (R square) of 0.556 with the understanding that the independent variable, namely GRDP, affects the variable of the poverty level in Medan City by 55.6%. Meanwhile, the remaining 44.4% are influenced by different independent variables and are not included in this study. For this reason, it can be concluded that when GRDP increases, it will have an impact on decreasing the value of Poverty in Medan City, and vice versa. Keywords: Gross Regional Domestic Product; Poverty; Medan city

Association of State Medicaid Income Eligibility Limits and Long-Term Survival After Cancer Diagnosis in the United States

PURPOSE: To examine the association between historic state Medicaid income eligibility limits and long-term survival among patients with cancer. METHODS: 1,449,144 adults age 18-64 years newly diagnosed with 19 common cancers between 2010 and 2013 were identified from the National Cancer Database. States' Medicaid income eligibility limits were categorized as ≤ 50%, 51%-137%, and ≥ 138% of federal poverty level (FPL). Survival time was measured from diagnosis date through December 31, 2017, for up to an 8-year follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models with age as time scale were used to assess associations of eligibility limits and stage-specific survival, adjusting for the effects of sex, metropolitan statistical area, comorbidities, year of diagnosis, facility type and volume, and state. RESULTS: Among patients with newly diagnosed cancer age 18-64 years, patients living in states with lower Medicaid income eligibility limits had worse survival for most cancers in both early and late stages, compared with those living in states with Medicaid income eligibility limits ≥ 138% FPL. A dose-response relationship was observed for most cancers with lower income limits associated with worse survival (13 of 17 cancers evaluated for early-stage cancers, and 11 of 17 cancers evaluated for late-stage cancers, and leukemia and brain tumors with P-trend < .05). CONCLUSION: Lower Medicaid income eligibility limits were associated with worse long-term survival within stage; increasing Medicaid income eligibility may improve survival after cancer diagnosis.

The Mediating Role of Age Productivity on Human Resources Development, Health Infrastructure, and Proverty Level

Poverty is a classic problem in many regions in Indonesia, including the Bengkulu Province. There are several causes of poverty case in Bengkulu, three of which are low human resources, inadequate rural health infrastructure, and less productive population with productive working age. The purpose of the study is to examine 1) the influence of human resources management, health infrastructure, and productive age partially on poverty in Bengkulu Province, and 2) the influence of human resources, health infrastructure respectively through mediation of productive age on poverty in Bengkulu Province. This study uses a quantitative descriptive approach using secondary data. The research population is all districts/cities in Bengkulu Province totalling 9 districts and 1 city in 2010 – 2019. This study uses saturated sampling. The data was then processed and analyzed using SEM-PLS. The results of the study show that human resources proxied by the Human Development Index (HDI) had a positive effect on the poverty level, health infrastructure had no effect on the poverty level, productive age had no effect on the poverty level, productive age was not a mediating variable between resources and the poverty level, so that cannot be used as a mediating variable, and productive age does not mediate the effect of health infrastructure on poverty levels in Bengkulu Province.

Small and Medium Scale Enterprises’ Activities and Eonomic Developmemnt in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

This paper assesses the impact of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) activities on economic development in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. To achieve this theme, an instrument Called Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Survey Questionnaire (SMEQ) was developed which focused more on employment generation and poverty reduction. The population of the study was chosen based on the two thousand six hundred and thirty-four (2634) registered SMEs with the Rivers State Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2019. Based on simple random sampling technique, a total of three hundred and thirty-eight (338) respondents were sampled. Relying on descriptive statistics and logistic regression estimation techniques, the data were analyzed. Analyses of the respondents’ opinion suggest that the major businesses engaged in the study area were restaurant, tailoring and beauty/hair dressing. Again, majority of the respondents were of the opinion that SMEs operators do not have increased access to basic social-economic amenities. The output of the logistic regression result has it that an increase in firm size can improve the chances of SMEs fostering economic development in Obio-Akpor while increase in the salary of employees could also enhance the chances of SMEs to redress the rising poverty level too. The paper thus recommends that employment tax incentives should be granted to proprietors of SMEs and taming of the rising insecurity cases across the country. Received: 11 September 2021 / Accepted: 25 November 2021 / Published: 5 January 2022

School Health Infrastructure and Students’ Elevated Body Mass Index

School-age children with overweight or obesity continue to be problematic in the United States, and are associated with many health, social, and financial problems. Schools provide an excellent venue in which to promote healthy weight in students, and school nurses are well-positioned to play an essential role in controlling obesity. The number of studies reporting relationships among school health infrastructure and prevalence of elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) is limited. The present study explored associations between three components of school health infrastructure (staff, services, budget) and the proportion overweight or obese 1st, 3rd, and 6th grade students, after controlling for selected factors (race, county education level, county poverty level, rurality). Study results supported an independent association between elevated BMI and school health staff. Additionally, independent associations between elevated BMI and the following covariates were supported: household income, race, and parents’ educational level. There is an ultimate need for well-designed studies addressing these associations.

The effect of the socioeconomic status on the measurement of asthma control

Background: The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a commonly used scoring system for evaluation of asthma control in the pediatric and adult populations. Asthma control has been deemed poor in those economically disadvantaged. Objective: To study whether the ACT is affected by socioeconomic status (SES) as evaluated by the percentage of the federal poverty level and the education level. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study (N = 307), in which the patients were surveyed for demographics data and underwent ACT scoring, spirometry (forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration) and fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide testing. Results: There was a positive correlation of improved mean score on the ACT (p < 0.001) with higher education status and higher federal poverty level status. Conclusion: SES plays a factor in the way patients perceived their asthma control, and therefore affected how they scored on the ACT.

Foreign Labor Migration Causes and Impacts in Nepal

This paper reflects the situation of foreign labour migration of Nepalese People. Globally, foreign labour migration is in increasing trends. In Nepalese context also foreign labour migration is being more important for employment mainly among unemployed people and youths who entered in labour force market. The number of foreign labour migrants and share of remittance in terms of GDP has increased. This article is based on secondary sources of information. The Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) describes the driving forces in international migration in terms of “3Ds” (development, demography and democracy). In one side foreign labour migration has contributed to reduce poverty level and in other the income gap among migrants and non-migrants been increased. In addition, due to mail domination in foreign labour migration the role of women has been changed in households and society. It has contributed women empowerment mainly in male labour migrant’s households. Migration has occurred throughout history, and current trends certainly indicate that it will continue to increase in the future. The forces of globalization have created opportunities for greater integration of labour market globally.

Comparison of social inequality in HPV vaccination among teenagers with parental reports and healthcare providers’ records in the 2019 National Immunization Survey-Teen.

Background: Relatively little is known and inconclusive about social inequality in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among teenagers in the United States. This study aims to investigate whether there is a social disparity in HPV vaccination among teenagers and if so, whether it can differ by the source of teen vaccination information (parental reports and provider records). Methods: We used the data from the 2019 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen; 42,668 teenagers, aged 13-17) including parental reported vaccination status. Among them, 18,877 teenagers had adequate provider reported vaccination records. Two socioeconomic status (SES) measures were used: mother’s education and annual family income. Multivariate logistic analyses were conducted. Results: False negatives of parental reports against provider records were more than two times higher (p &lt; 0.001) in low SES teens than in high SES teens. In both SES measures, the proportion of HPV unvaccinated teenagers were lowest in the highest SES level in analyses with parental reports. However, it was the opposite in analyses with provider records. Interestingly, regardless of vaccination information source, the HPV unvaccinated rate was highest in the middle SES teens (&gt;12 years, non-college graduates; and above poverty level, but not &gt; $75K). Conclusion: A significant social inequality in HPV vaccination among teenagers exists in the United States. The pattern of social inequality in HPV vaccination can be distorted when only parent reported vaccination information is used.

The Impact of Fiscal Policy on Welfare Improvement in Indonesia: Study of Impact of Premium Assistance Beneficiaries on The National Health Insurance, Physical Special Allocation Fund for Health Sector, Education Sector, and Village Funds to Human Development Index

One of the objectives of the fiscal policy is to improve public welfare. Still, there are funding constraints to improve welfare in some countries. Therefore, fiscal management to increase welfare must be implemented efficiently and effectively. In this research, to improve welfare, the fiscal policy will be focused on health, education and community empowerment which are the components of the HDI. This research used quantitative method with regression equation to explain the impact of fiscal and social policy, in the form of Recipients of Health Insurance Contribution Assistance (Penerima Bantuan Iuran Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional/ PBI JKN), physical special allocation found (Dana Alokasi Khusus/DAK) for health and education sector, village fund, region’s budget expenditure, locally generated revenue (Pendapatan Asli Daerah/PAD), and poverty level on human development index (HDI) improvement. The locus for this research is all regencies/cities in Indonesia that use panel data. The results of this research were divided into three findings. First, there were research variables with unidirectional results and significant improvement on HDI, which are physical DAK for the health and education sector, village funds, social expenditure, and PAD. Second, there were variables with unidirectional impact but it does not have a significant impact on the HDI improvement (i.e. PBI JKN). Third, there were variables with unidirectional and significant impact, such as personnel expenditure, material expenditure, capital expenditure, and poverty level.