Background: Malaria and typhoid have remained major infectious tropical diseases. Clinically, whenever there is severe malaria, cough is always an associating symptom owing to typhoid infection arising from poor hygie...Background: Malaria and typhoid have remained major infectious tropical diseases. Clinically, whenever there is severe malaria, cough is always an associating symptom owing to typhoid infection arising from poor hygiene in respect to drinking water and food. There is a strong association between human blood group and disease. Residual malaria transmission, effect of climate change on malaria vector composition, environmental management targeted at malaria breeding control as an intervention strategy are areas of interest to WHO in malaria control in Sub-saharan Africa. A body of data is been built on susceptibility of human blood groups to malaria, HIV and HBV and presently malaria and typhoid. If climate change warrants a change in composition of vectors and as well resistance to ACT therapy, the susceptibility or vulnerability of the human blood group is also called to question. The link between susceptibility of human blood group to malaria and typhoid has not been previously investigated. Purpose: The present study assesses the genetic disposition (susceptibility of human blood groups and abo analysis) to malaria and typhoid infections. Patients and Methods: One hundred (100) patients were screened for malaria and typhoid infections in a tertiary health facility—His glory hospital Lagos, Nigeria. Blood samples were collected by venu-puncture from 53 females and 47 males adults aged between 15 – 47 years, who were infected either singly or coinfected with malaria and typhoid. Microscopic detection of P. falciparum, widal serological technique for salmonella antibody presence and genotypic determination were all done using standard WHO methods. Human material or data were analyzed or performed in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki (2000). Ethical clearance was obtained from the ethic and research committee of the Ministry of Health via the Faculty of the Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar (Ethical Certificate number CRS/MOH/HRP/2023/396). Results: The results obtained expressed in percen展开更多
Hypertension, a non-communicable disease, is considered a major public health challenge because of its widespread prevalence globally coupled with its huge morbidity and mortality burden, which is largely preventable ...Hypertension, a non-communicable disease, is considered a major public health challenge because of its widespread prevalence globally coupled with its huge morbidity and mortality burden, which is largely preventable if early detection and prompt initiation of management are done. Hypertension prevalence is increasing especially in the developing world, despite this, its awareness among the general population is low. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of hypertension among adult attendees of the General Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, with an assessment of the proportion of hypertensives who were aware of their hypertensive status, and identifying risk factors of hypertension in the study participants. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between October and November 2022 at the General Outpatient Clinic of the FUTH, Owerri. A total of 257 consenting and eligible adult patients made up of 135 males and 122 females, aged 18 years and above, were selected by systematic random sampling method. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 34.6%. The prevalence was higher in females than in males (37.7% vs 31.9%, P = 0.325). Among the hypertensive subjects 56.2% had awareness of their hypertensive status. Following a multiple regression analysis, hypertension was independently associated with age, family history of hypertension, occupation (retirees, traders, farmers and the unemployed), and marital status (being widowed). Hypertension is prevalent in our environment;the prevalence rate from this study is higher than in most studies in our environment, suggesting possibly, a rising burden. The results from the study underscore the need for increased and sustained advocacy for implementation of policies and programs directed at increased detection and management of hypertension in the different population groups such as annual wellness check for employees in the formal sector, largescale dietary and lifestyle adjustments, and know your numbers (an appr展开更多
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever found mostly in West Africa where it is endemic but generates periodic outbreaks in the dry seasons. The virus is spread by the rat species named mastomys natalensis. While th...Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever found mostly in West Africa where it is endemic but generates periodic outbreaks in the dry seasons. The virus is spread by the rat species named mastomys natalensis. While the illness is minor in most cases, the mortality is significant in hospitalized patients. Few completely equipped treatment centers existed in Nigeria previous to current increase in frequency requiring demand for new treatment centers without the full complement of essential capabilities. Aim: To analyze the profile and treatment outcome in patients hospitalized in one of such new resource-constrained centers at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a retrospective, descriptive hospital-based research encompassing January 2020 to March 2023. Medical records of those admitted to the isolation center were reviewed. The relevant data was coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23. Results: One hundred and ten (110) individuals were hospitalized for probable or suspected Lassa fever throughout the research period. A total of 35 confirmed patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included as the study subjects. There were 23 (65.7%) men and 12 (34.3%) females. Their mean age was 35.36 ± 12.21 years (range 15-61 years). The treatment outcome showed that 24 (75%) survived and were discharged, 5 (15.6%) were referred out of the facility for dialysis and 3 died, providing a mortality of 8.6%. The causes of mortality in study patients were acute kidney injury and encephalopathy. Conclusion: Lassa fever is endemic in Benue state with all types of individuals afflicted. The outcome of treatment was good despite resource difficulties. Lassa fever can be successfully managed even in resource-challenged situations typically encountered in developing countries.展开更多
Physicochemical parameters of surface water sources in the study of local government areas (LGAs) were assessed using standard procedures. The mean physicochemical parameters for pH (5.49), NO2 (0.23 mg/L), SO4 (0.77 ...Physicochemical parameters of surface water sources in the study of local government areas (LGAs) were assessed using standard procedures. The mean physicochemical parameters for pH (5.49), NO2 (0.23 mg/L), SO4 (0.77 mg/L), Na (28.72 mg/L), Ca (28.94 mg/L), Mg (17.50 mg/L), Cl (11.65 mg/L), TSS (6.27 mg/L), TDS (104.23 mg/L), BOD (2.83 mg/L) and F (0.87 mg/L) were below WHO standards irrespective of their defecation status. The values for electrical conductivity (EC) (2770.50 µs/cm, turbidity (481.24 NTU), dissolved oxygen (DO) (5.32 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (445.50 mg/L), K (125.06 mg/L), PO4 (0.78 mg/L) and Fe (0.57 mg/L) were above the WHO limits for safe water. Higher EC and COD values obtained in the study is evidence of pollution of the water sources by organic matter.展开更多
Five yam tuber varieties were investigated for microorganisms that cause yam tuber rot from five local government areas of Benue State, Nigeria, between the months of March 2014 to March 2015. Five fungi species: Aspe...Five yam tuber varieties were investigated for microorganisms that cause yam tuber rot from five local government areas of Benue State, Nigeria, between the months of March 2014 to March 2015. Five fungi species: Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifera, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium marnessei and four bacteria species: Serratia marcescens, Erwinia caro-tovora, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were consistently isolated. Pathogenicity test carried out confirmed these organisms as the pathological agent of the rot. Antimicrobial activity of five plant aqueous extracts: Terminalia catapa (common name fruit), Passiflora edulis (passion fruit), Daniella oliveri (Chiha-Tiv), Ceiba pentandra (Vambe-Tiv), Jatropha tanjorensis (Catholic plant) was carried out on the isolated microorganims and they showed varing degrees of inhibition, the aqueous extract from Passiflora edulis, Ceiba pentandra and Jatropha tanjorensis were able to inhibit all the fungi completely.展开更多
This work examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pollution in soil and estimated the potential ecological risks of these metals in Makurdi and its environs, using established pollution indices. The infor...This work examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pollution in soil and estimated the potential ecological risks of these metals in Makurdi and its environs, using established pollution indices. The information derived from pollution indices will help to assess the extent, and intensity of anthropogenic contaminant deposition on surface soil in the study area. The soil samples were collected from sixteen (16) locations across the investigated sites, sampled as appropriate and treated using established methods and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The findings have revealed that the concentrations of the metals in the topsoil samples were arranged in the sequence from increasing to decreasing order thus: Cr > Pb > Cd > Hg > As. It was observed that the pollution levels of As and Hg were insignificant, while, the level of pollution caused by Cd, Cr and Pb ranged from low level of contamination to high level of contamination across the investigated sites, except, for the control site (BZ) whose pollution level was insignificant with respect to the heavy metals studied. The results could be used as preliminary baseline data for heavy metal concentrations for future assessment and monitoring. Therefore, there is an urgent need to effect mitigation measures to reduce the ecological environmental risks, taking into consideration that human activities which are the main source of pollutants are still ongoing in the study area.展开更多
The Benue Trough Basin (BTB) of Nigeria is geologically and geo-morphologically subdivided into upper,middle, and lower segments. The BTB is the subject of geological research due to its rich coal depositsthat have th...The Benue Trough Basin (BTB) of Nigeria is geologically and geo-morphologically subdivided into upper,middle, and lower segments. The BTB is the subject of geological research due to its rich coal depositsthat have the potential for oil and gas. The purpose of the present study is to examine the origins,depositional environments, and thermal history of the selected coals and the processes that influencetheir quality. Coal samples from different open cast coal mines in the middle BTB were examined usingproximate and ultimate, x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), laser ablation induced coupledplasma (LA-ICPMS), and petrographical analyses. The coal samples contained mainly quartz, kaolinite,and organic carbon. The XRD spectra peaks revealed the triclinic and monoclinic structure of kaolin. TheSiO2/Al2O3 ratios confirmed the dominance of quartz and kaolinite. The Ni/Co versus V/Cr, Cu/Zn, and V/Mo values in the studied coals suggest oxic depositional environments, whereas the V/(Ni þ V) and V/(V þ Cr) values indicate oxic to suboxic conditions. The Ce/Ce* values are slightly below 1, which indicates a suboxic depositional environment. Maceral texture is indicative of transformations from subbituminous to high volatile C or B bituminous coal. The maceral components and mineral matter(10%) of the studied coals imply deposition in the planar margin mire, and a river system of planarmargin mire environments, respectively. The high gelification index (GI) and tissue preservation index(TPI) values indicate peat accumulation developed within a wet forest swamp. The ternary diagram ofthe maceral component suggests deposition in a wet moor environment with intermittent moderate tohigh flooding episodes. The studied coals are sub-hydrous vitrinite inferring hydrogen-poor and thermally immature characteristics. The low V and Ni contents, low H/C and high O/C, indicate Type IIIterrestrial organic matter with the potential to generate gaseous hydrocarbons. The investigated coalswere deposited by the river within 展开更多
Introduction: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the female population in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), the main causative agent, has the poten...Introduction: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the female population in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), the main causative agent, has the potential to eradicate cervical cancer. In-country evidence of sub-types of HPV associated with cervical cancer is scanty, thus necessitating this study. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a multistage sampling technique. A molecular technique using the Cobas 4800 machine was used for genotyping. Results: 570 participants were recruited for the study. The mean age of the participants was 32.4 ± 5.2 years. The age of sexual debut ranged from 15 - 24 years with a median of 19 years. 194 participants were positive for high-risk HPV giving a prevalence of 34%. 3% (n = 17) were positive for HPV, 16. 4% (23) had a positive result for HPV, 18. 27% (n = 154) had a positive result for other high-risk groups (OHR) other than HPV 16 or 18. Positive status for high-risk HPV is associated with the presence of genital warts (OR = 7.5), a Positive HIV status (OR = 3.48), abnormal vaginal discharge (OR = 2.20), multiple sexual partners (OR = 2.30), and obesity (OR = 2.70). The prevalence of HIV in the study population was 6.84% (n = 39). Conclusion: Another High-risk HPV other than 16 and 18 appears to be the predominant form of HPV infection in Nigerian women. The risk of being positive for high-risk HPV is associated with the presence of genital warts, abnormal vaginal discharge, a positive HIV status, multiple sexual partners and Obesity. It is therefore necessary to disaggregate and study these high-risk sub-types.展开更多
<b>Background: </b>Nigeria<i>,</i> one of the high burden Tuberculosis countries<i>,</i> has developed various intervention strategies to ensuring universal access to quality-assure...<b>Background: </b>Nigeria<i>,</i> one of the high burden Tuberculosis countries<i>,</i> has developed various intervention strategies to ensuring universal access to quality-assured tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment. However<i>,</i> low case detection and unsuccessful treatment outcome still remains a serious challenge in most states. Community Tuberculosis care was born against this background in 2010 as a complementing front to combat the challenges<i>,</i> bringing directly observed treatment short-course strategy beyond the clinic settings to the door steps of patients. This study evaluates the contributions of the intervention to Tuberculosis case detection and treatment outcomes in two states in Nigeria. <b>Materials and Method:</b> A retrospective study with multistage sampling technique was employed to review 23<i>,</i>241 presumptive Tuberculosis cases enrolled for management between 2014-2017. Chi-square (<i>χ</i><sup>2</sup>) test was used for test of association between the independent variables and the main outcomes of the study<i>,</i> with statistical significance set at p-value of 5%. <b>Results</b>: The annual percentage increase for both states was 24.7%<i>,</i> 189.8% and 114.5% in the study group as against 5.2%<i>,</i> 44.6% and 65.6% in control group. Overall<i>,</i> 23.8% were bacteriologically positive (either AFB or Gene-Xpert MTB/Rif) and 1.4% were clinically evaluated to be positive<i>,</i> while 74.8% were bacteriologically negative. Of the total 5861 cases treated<i>,</i> successful treatment rate of the patients in the study group was 88.6% as compared to 76.1% in the control group. The relationship between the referral system from communities where the intervention program was implemented and the case detection/treatment outcome was statistically significant (OR 95% CI = 3.15<i>,</i> 2.95 - 3.35). <b>Conclusion</b>: The community level Tuberculosis intervention led to significantly better case detection and treatment outcome when compared to the conventional approach (p ≤ 0.0展开更多
The hematological and serum biochemical profiles of apparently healthy exotic breed of dogs in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria was studied in this research. One hundred and seven exotic breed of dogs were examined from Oc...The hematological and serum biochemical profiles of apparently healthy exotic breed of dogs in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria was studied in this research. One hundred and seven exotic breed of dogs were examined from October</span><span style="font-family:""> - </span><span style="font-family:"">December, 2018. The results from physical, clinical examinations and parasitological examinations were used to determine ap</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:"">parently healthy exotic breed of dogs which were used in this study. The parameters measured were rectal temperature, parasitaemia, hematology which included red blood cells count, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and hemoglobin content;total white blood cell count, including eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes counts, and platelets;serum biochemical parameters also included Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride, using standard methods. Data generated from the study were statistically analyzed using students t</span><span style="font-family:"">-</span><span style="font-family:"">test one-way analysis of variance while the level of significance </span><span style="font-family:"">was </span><span style="font-family:"">measured at p < 0.05. From this study, hematological and serum biochemical values were comparable to and not different from those reported for dogs in available literature, but the upper and lower reference limits (minimum and maximum values) were different for most parameters. Sex-related significant difference (p < 0.05) occurred only in WBC and total protein while age-related significant difference occurred only in total protein and urea level. Breed affected the MCHC and total bilirubin level which was evident in higher MCHC level in Neapolitan mastiff than Alsatian breed while total bilirubin展开更多
This research was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the incorporation of calcite precipitation bacteria,sporosarcina pasteurii using calcium lactate as nutrient source and the properties of calcined cla...This research was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the incorporation of calcite precipitation bacteria,sporosarcina pasteurii using calcium lactate as nutrient source and the properties of calcined clay and limestone powder blended self-compacting concrete.Ten mixes were designed and designated S0 to S9 with S0 the control(without bacteria and nutrient)and S1 to S9 at varying bacteria and calcium lactate concentrations and the effect of the bacteria cell density and calcium lactate concentration on the compressive strength,sorptivity and tensile strength with age were evaluated using experimental program and statistical packages(ANOVA and post hoc tests).The result of both the experimental program and statistical evaluation shows that the incorporation of sporosarcina pasteurii and calcium lactate as nutrients had a positive impact on the properties of the ternary blended self-compacting concrete.展开更多
Global temperature has been increasing causing differences in precipitation response in different physiographic regions as feedback mechanism. The aim of this work is to model the implications of the global warming co...Global temperature has been increasing causing differences in precipitation response in different physiographic regions as feedback mechanism. The aim of this work is to model the implications of the global warming conditions on precipitation occurrences in the valley and highland areas of Nigeria. Harmonic analysis on the average monthly rainfall observations was performed for 56 years (1961-2016) using the Turbo Pascal for windows programming language in order to implement the computation. This was carried out by fitting a periodic function of sinusoidal character to enhance the determination of the contribution of each harmonic, the amplitude of each harmonic and the time at which each harmonic is maximum. The result of harmonic plots of the grand average monthly rainfall for the valley area of Makurdi and highland area of Jos shows that there exists a similarity in the trend of variations of harmonic series plots of the data as either plots exhibit single rainfall maxima or peak, meaning that rainfall patterns are mono-modal in nature. Modeled result of average monthly rainfall for the valley area of Makurdi shows an increase in rainfall occurrences from the month of January to August but a decrease from September to December, meaning an expectation of more rains immediately after onsets and lesser rains before cessations. The modeled result for the highland area of Jos however shows a decrease in the occurrence of rainfall in the months of January and February but an increase from the month of March to December. The implication is that there will be water deficiency for late crops and aquifer recharge in the valley areas while highland areas will experience delayed onset of agricultural calendar. The study recommends timely release and adherence to weather/climate forecasts.展开更多
This study was designed to bridge gap in nutritionally skewed available biscuits and the high volume of agricultural waste generated by investigating the quality of biscuits prepared from wheat base, supplemented with...This study was designed to bridge gap in nutritionally skewed available biscuits and the high volume of agricultural waste generated by investigating the quality of biscuits prepared from wheat base, supplemented with waste from watermelon rinds and orange pomace as possible nutritious alternatives. Biscuit samples were respectively produced from blends of wheat, watermelon rind and orange pomace in the following ratio 100:0:0;90:5:5;80:10:10;70:15:15 and 60:20:20, labelled samples A, B, C, D and E. F</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">unctional, proximate, mineral and sensory properties of the formulated biscuit samples</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> were carried out using standard analytical procedures. The results showed that p</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">roximate composition of samples B - E significantly increased (p < 0.05) except for carbohydrate content when compared with sample A used as control. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There were also significant increases (p < 0.05) in mineral contents of supplemented samples compared to control. The result of the sensory evaluation showed that wheat flour can be substituted with watermelon rind and orange pomace flours up to 10% without adversely affecting the overall quality attributes of the biscuits. These results indicate the robustness of food value addition as an effective means of improving nutritional quality of biscuits while contributing to waste management in the agricultural value chain.展开更多
Consumption of ice cream produced from dairy products has been reportedly associated with health hazards. To circumvent this, this study was undertaken to formulate plant-based ice cream using kunu-zaki and soymilk (a...Consumption of ice cream produced from dairy products has been reportedly associated with health hazards. To circumvent this, this study was undertaken to formulate plant-based ice cream using kunu-zaki and soymilk (as substi<span style="font-family:Verdana;">tutes for dairy milk) fortified with mango, banana and avocado. Standard</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> method for the preparation of ice cream was modified to formulate three variants of kunu-zaki ice cream designated as B (40% kunu-zaki, 40% banana pulp and 20% </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">s</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">oymilk);C (40% </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">k</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">unu-</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">z</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">aki, 40% mango pulp and 20% soymilk);D (40% kunu-</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">z</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">aki, 40% </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">vocado pulp and 20% soymilk), while control </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sample A was commercial dairy-based ice cream. Analyses of proximate, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">min</span><s展开更多
Tin(Sn)-based perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have received increasing attention in the domain of photovoltaics due to their environmentally friendly nature.In this paper,numerical modeling and simulation of hole transpor...Tin(Sn)-based perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have received increasing attention in the domain of photovoltaics due to their environmentally friendly nature.In this paper,numerical modeling and simulation of hole transport material(HTM)-free PSC based on methyl ammonium tin triiodide(CH_(3) NH_(3) SnI_(3))was performed using a one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator(SCAPS-1D)software.The eff ect of perovskite thickness,interface defect density,temperature,and electron transport material(ETM)on the photovoltaic performance of the device was explored.Prior to optimization,the device demonstrated a power conversion effi ciency(PCE)of 8.35%,fi ll factor(FF)of 51.93%,short-circuit current density(J_(sc))of 26.36 mA/cm 2,and open circuit voltage(V_(oc))of 0.610 V.Changing the above parameters individually while keeping others constant,the obtained optimal absorber thickness was 1.0μm,the interface defect density was 1010 cm-2,the temperature was 290 K,and the TiO 2 thickness was 0.01μm.On simulating with the optimized data,the fi nal device gave a PCE of 11.03%,FF of 50.78%,J_(sc) of 29.93 mA/cm 2,and V_(oc) of 0.726 V.Comparing the optimized and unoptimized metric parameters,an improvement of~32.10%in PCE,~13.41%in J_(sc),and~19.02%in V_(oc) were obtained.Therefore,the results of this study are encouraging and can pave the path for developing highly effi cient PSCs that are cost-eff ective,eco-friendly,and comparable to state-of-the-art.展开更多
Nutritional evaluation of complementary food formulations from maize, soybean and peanut fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder was carried out. Maize, soybean and peanut were blended in a ratio of 60:30:10 to pr...Nutritional evaluation of complementary food formulations from maize, soybean and peanut fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder was carried out. Maize, soybean and peanut were blended in a ratio of 60:30:10 to produce a complementary food, which was then fortified. While the unfortified food product (sample A) served as control, the other three formulations were fortified with 5%, 10% and 15% Moringa leaf powder to give three samples (B, C and D respectively) of fortified food. Nutritional composition determination and feeding trials were then carried out, using two weeks old male albino rats to determine the performance of the food formulations. While the crude protein, crude fibre, and ash contents of the diets increased significantly (p with fortification, with values ranging from 16.04% to 17.59%, 2.25% to 4.42% and 1.40% to 2.50% respectively, crude fat and carbohydrate decreased significantly (p < 0.05), with concomitant decrease in energy, with values ranging from 23.48% to 20.80%, 49.32% to 47.63% and 472.76% to 448.08 kcal/100g respectively in samples A to D. PER values significantly (p < 0.05) improved up to 10% substitution, from 1.77 in unfortified (sample A) to 1.90 in 10% fortified (sample C), but declined at 15% substitution (sample D) to 1.69. Similarly, NPR values increased from 0.71 to 0.76 and 0.68. However, all the PER values including that of Nestle Cerelac (2.04) were lower than, though within the same range, with the value of 2.10 recommended by the Protein Advisory Group (PAG) for complementary foods. Sample C (10% Moringa flour blend) gave the best performance after rat feeding trials.展开更多
Background and Objectives: Chronic low-dose exposure to dichlorvos occurs in communities in Africa where the substance is used indiscriminately for a variety of purposes. This experiment used an animal model to evalua...Background and Objectives: Chronic low-dose exposure to dichlorvos occurs in communities in Africa where the substance is used indiscriminately for a variety of purposes. This experiment used an animal model to evaluate genomic instability induced by this pattern of chronic exposure and its relationship with some measures of fertility in males. Methods: Seventy-five male Rattus norvegicus rats obtained for this experiment, were randomly allotted into five groups. Dichlorvos was given by oral gavage at doses of 0.28 mg/kg, 0.56 mg/kg and, 1.68 mg/kg, respectively, to three of the groups, on alternate days for 50 weeks. The remaining two groups received plain drinking water and cyclophosphamide as negative and positive controls, respectively. Samples were collected at 17, 34, and 50 weeks. Sperm count, sperm morphology and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, dihydrotestosterone, oestrogen and progesterone were determined. Furthermore, the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes was determined in bone marrow cells obtained from the femur. Results: The mean ranks of micronuclei frequency had an increasing trend. The frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCE) had a significant negative correlation with oestrogen (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.47, p = 0.00, n = 50), follicle-stimulating hormone (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.41, p = 0.00, n = 50) and progesterone (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.37, p = 0.01, n = 50) serum levels. A positive monotonic relationship also existed between micronuclei frequency and those of tubular necrosis, tubular vacuolation, and residual bodies. A positive significant moderate correlation was found between MnPCE and the proportion of immotile sperms (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.41, p = 0.00, n = 50). Conclusion: The nature of the correlations between micronuclei frequency and the proportion of immotile sperms, adverse histological changes and serum hormone levels found in this study suggest genomic instability as the possible mechanism for diminished fertility in ma展开更多
Objective:To ascertain the level of intestinal parasites vis-a-vis the quality of housing and water supply,and sanitary conditions among the people of Kuraje village in Zamfara state. Methods:The study was cross secti...Objective:To ascertain the level of intestinal parasites vis-a-vis the quality of housing and water supply,and sanitary conditions among the people of Kuraje village in Zamfara state. Methods:The study was cross sectional in nature.Individual households were selected using systematic random sampling methods and pre-tested questionnaires were administered to all the members of each household.Stool samples were collected and processed using standard laboratory procedures.Housing conditions,sources of water and sanitary conditions of the households were also inspected.Results were analysed using Epi Info 2006 model.Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 67.0%(347/519).72.3%(251/347),17.0%(59/347),and 10.7%(37/347) had one,two and three or more parasites,respectively.The associated factors with intestinal parasites were poor housing and sanitary conditions,lack of potable water and illiteracy.The commonest parasites encountered were hookworm(22.0%),Ascaris lumbricoides (18.5%),and Strongyloides stercoralis(15.6%) while the least common was Enterobius vermicularis (1.6%).Others were Giardia lamblia(5.7%),Hymenolepsis nana(5.0%),Trichuris trichiura(8.8%), Entamoeba histolytica(14.4%) and Schistosoma mansoni(8.4%).Conclusions:The infection rate of intestinal parasites in Kuraje village is high.More efforts should be intensified towards improvement in sanitary and housing standards,supply of potable water and institution of a more comprehensive literacy programme for the people of the community.展开更多
Background: Stroke is a common neurological disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aim: The study set out to characterize the clinico-radiologic pattern of stroke patients as well as to deter...Background: Stroke is a common neurological disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aim: The study set out to characterize the clinico-radiologic pattern of stroke patients as well as to determine the correlation between the clinical and computed tomographic (CT) scan findings in a tertiary hospital in Makurdi, North central Nigeria. Method: This was a retrospective study of 145 patients with clinically suspected stroke, who underwent CT imaging at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi Nigeria between December 2020 and June 2022. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: Of the 145 clinically diagnosed cases of stroke, 122 (84.1%) were confirmed on CT. 7 (4.8%) were stroke mimics and 16 (11.0%) were normal. There were 65 (53.3%) males and 57 (46.7%) females with a male: female ratio of 1.1:1. The mean age at presentation was 58.7 ± 12.87 years with age range of 69 - 78 years being affected most. Few cases of stroke were seen below the age of fifty years. Ischaemic stroke was the commonest 77 (63.1%) followed by primary intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) 38 (31.4%) then sub arachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) 5 (4.1%). Most infarcts were below 10 cm<sup>2</sup>, while for ICH volume those below 10 cm<sup>3</sup> and above 100 cm<sup>3</sup> occurred in equal proportion. Hypertension was the main risk factor for stroke with respective frequency of 31 (21.4%) and 94 (64.8%) in isolation or associated with other risk factors like Diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia, alcohol, and smoking among others. There was significant correlation between clinical and radiological diagnosis of stroke (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The result showed slight male preponderance with majority of suspected stroke confirmed by CT;these were mostly of ischaemic type. There was significant correlation between clinical and radiologic diagnosis of stroke while hypertension was the main risk factor identified.展开更多
Climate change impact and risks on agricultural livelihood affect women and men disproportionately and often to the disadvantage of women and girls. Consequently, this study assessed gender perspectives of vulnerabili...Climate change impact and risks on agricultural livelihood affect women and men disproportionately and often to the disadvantage of women and girls. Consequently, this study assessed gender perspectives of vulnerability to climate change of farming households at Ikpayongo community in Gwer local government area, Benue State, Nigeria using descriptive approach. The study identified a total of 120 male-headed and female-headed farming households across four neighbourhoods and administered structured questionnaire on them using simple random sampling method, while data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. The results indicate lower education and income status among female-headed households, though male-headed households have high household size. Both sexes have relatively equal access to land for farming, however men have large farm size compared to women. The major crops cultivated by men were rice and yam, while women cultivated largely groundnut and cassava. Women are more exposed and sensitive to climate-related hazards such as floods and heat stress due to the location of their farms. The result further shows that males possess better adaptive capacity given their higher incomes, social networks and more access to training/capacity building programmes and credit facilities. The study concludes that female-headed farming households are more vulnerable to climate change and variability than male-headed farming households due to higher exposure and a lower adaptive capacity. Programme and policies to improve women access to credit facilities and relevant training to boost their adaptive capacity and build resilience are highly recommended. This would also limit exposure with attendant reduction in vulnerability.展开更多
文摘Background: Malaria and typhoid have remained major infectious tropical diseases. Clinically, whenever there is severe malaria, cough is always an associating symptom owing to typhoid infection arising from poor hygiene in respect to drinking water and food. There is a strong association between human blood group and disease. Residual malaria transmission, effect of climate change on malaria vector composition, environmental management targeted at malaria breeding control as an intervention strategy are areas of interest to WHO in malaria control in Sub-saharan Africa. A body of data is been built on susceptibility of human blood groups to malaria, HIV and HBV and presently malaria and typhoid. If climate change warrants a change in composition of vectors and as well resistance to ACT therapy, the susceptibility or vulnerability of the human blood group is also called to question. The link between susceptibility of human blood group to malaria and typhoid has not been previously investigated. Purpose: The present study assesses the genetic disposition (susceptibility of human blood groups and abo analysis) to malaria and typhoid infections. Patients and Methods: One hundred (100) patients were screened for malaria and typhoid infections in a tertiary health facility—His glory hospital Lagos, Nigeria. Blood samples were collected by venu-puncture from 53 females and 47 males adults aged between 15 – 47 years, who were infected either singly or coinfected with malaria and typhoid. Microscopic detection of P. falciparum, widal serological technique for salmonella antibody presence and genotypic determination were all done using standard WHO methods. Human material or data were analyzed or performed in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki (2000). Ethical clearance was obtained from the ethic and research committee of the Ministry of Health via the Faculty of the Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar (Ethical Certificate number CRS/MOH/HRP/2023/396). Results: The results obtained expressed in percen
文摘Hypertension, a non-communicable disease, is considered a major public health challenge because of its widespread prevalence globally coupled with its huge morbidity and mortality burden, which is largely preventable if early detection and prompt initiation of management are done. Hypertension prevalence is increasing especially in the developing world, despite this, its awareness among the general population is low. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of hypertension among adult attendees of the General Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, with an assessment of the proportion of hypertensives who were aware of their hypertensive status, and identifying risk factors of hypertension in the study participants. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between October and November 2022 at the General Outpatient Clinic of the FUTH, Owerri. A total of 257 consenting and eligible adult patients made up of 135 males and 122 females, aged 18 years and above, were selected by systematic random sampling method. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 34.6%. The prevalence was higher in females than in males (37.7% vs 31.9%, P = 0.325). Among the hypertensive subjects 56.2% had awareness of their hypertensive status. Following a multiple regression analysis, hypertension was independently associated with age, family history of hypertension, occupation (retirees, traders, farmers and the unemployed), and marital status (being widowed). Hypertension is prevalent in our environment;the prevalence rate from this study is higher than in most studies in our environment, suggesting possibly, a rising burden. The results from the study underscore the need for increased and sustained advocacy for implementation of policies and programs directed at increased detection and management of hypertension in the different population groups such as annual wellness check for employees in the formal sector, largescale dietary and lifestyle adjustments, and know your numbers (an appr
文摘Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever found mostly in West Africa where it is endemic but generates periodic outbreaks in the dry seasons. The virus is spread by the rat species named mastomys natalensis. While the illness is minor in most cases, the mortality is significant in hospitalized patients. Few completely equipped treatment centers existed in Nigeria previous to current increase in frequency requiring demand for new treatment centers without the full complement of essential capabilities. Aim: To analyze the profile and treatment outcome in patients hospitalized in one of such new resource-constrained centers at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a retrospective, descriptive hospital-based research encompassing January 2020 to March 2023. Medical records of those admitted to the isolation center were reviewed. The relevant data was coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23. Results: One hundred and ten (110) individuals were hospitalized for probable or suspected Lassa fever throughout the research period. A total of 35 confirmed patients satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included as the study subjects. There were 23 (65.7%) men and 12 (34.3%) females. Their mean age was 35.36 ± 12.21 years (range 15-61 years). The treatment outcome showed that 24 (75%) survived and were discharged, 5 (15.6%) were referred out of the facility for dialysis and 3 died, providing a mortality of 8.6%. The causes of mortality in study patients were acute kidney injury and encephalopathy. Conclusion: Lassa fever is endemic in Benue state with all types of individuals afflicted. The outcome of treatment was good despite resource difficulties. Lassa fever can be successfully managed even in resource-challenged situations typically encountered in developing countries.
文摘Physicochemical parameters of surface water sources in the study of local government areas (LGAs) were assessed using standard procedures. The mean physicochemical parameters for pH (5.49), NO2 (0.23 mg/L), SO4 (0.77 mg/L), Na (28.72 mg/L), Ca (28.94 mg/L), Mg (17.50 mg/L), Cl (11.65 mg/L), TSS (6.27 mg/L), TDS (104.23 mg/L), BOD (2.83 mg/L) and F (0.87 mg/L) were below WHO standards irrespective of their defecation status. The values for electrical conductivity (EC) (2770.50 µs/cm, turbidity (481.24 NTU), dissolved oxygen (DO) (5.32 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (445.50 mg/L), K (125.06 mg/L), PO4 (0.78 mg/L) and Fe (0.57 mg/L) were above the WHO limits for safe water. Higher EC and COD values obtained in the study is evidence of pollution of the water sources by organic matter.
文摘Five yam tuber varieties were investigated for microorganisms that cause yam tuber rot from five local government areas of Benue State, Nigeria, between the months of March 2014 to March 2015. Five fungi species: Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifera, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium marnessei and four bacteria species: Serratia marcescens, Erwinia caro-tovora, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were consistently isolated. Pathogenicity test carried out confirmed these organisms as the pathological agent of the rot. Antimicrobial activity of five plant aqueous extracts: Terminalia catapa (common name fruit), Passiflora edulis (passion fruit), Daniella oliveri (Chiha-Tiv), Ceiba pentandra (Vambe-Tiv), Jatropha tanjorensis (Catholic plant) was carried out on the isolated microorganims and they showed varing degrees of inhibition, the aqueous extract from Passiflora edulis, Ceiba pentandra and Jatropha tanjorensis were able to inhibit all the fungi completely.
文摘This work examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb pollution in soil and estimated the potential ecological risks of these metals in Makurdi and its environs, using established pollution indices. The information derived from pollution indices will help to assess the extent, and intensity of anthropogenic contaminant deposition on surface soil in the study area. The soil samples were collected from sixteen (16) locations across the investigated sites, sampled as appropriate and treated using established methods and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The findings have revealed that the concentrations of the metals in the topsoil samples were arranged in the sequence from increasing to decreasing order thus: Cr > Pb > Cd > Hg > As. It was observed that the pollution levels of As and Hg were insignificant, while, the level of pollution caused by Cd, Cr and Pb ranged from low level of contamination to high level of contamination across the investigated sites, except, for the control site (BZ) whose pollution level was insignificant with respect to the heavy metals studied. The results could be used as preliminary baseline data for heavy metal concentrations for future assessment and monitoring. Therefore, there is an urgent need to effect mitigation measures to reduce the ecological environmental risks, taking into consideration that human activities which are the main source of pollutants are still ongoing in the study area.
文摘The Benue Trough Basin (BTB) of Nigeria is geologically and geo-morphologically subdivided into upper,middle, and lower segments. The BTB is the subject of geological research due to its rich coal depositsthat have the potential for oil and gas. The purpose of the present study is to examine the origins,depositional environments, and thermal history of the selected coals and the processes that influencetheir quality. Coal samples from different open cast coal mines in the middle BTB were examined usingproximate and ultimate, x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), laser ablation induced coupledplasma (LA-ICPMS), and petrographical analyses. The coal samples contained mainly quartz, kaolinite,and organic carbon. The XRD spectra peaks revealed the triclinic and monoclinic structure of kaolin. TheSiO2/Al2O3 ratios confirmed the dominance of quartz and kaolinite. The Ni/Co versus V/Cr, Cu/Zn, and V/Mo values in the studied coals suggest oxic depositional environments, whereas the V/(Ni þ V) and V/(V þ Cr) values indicate oxic to suboxic conditions. The Ce/Ce* values are slightly below 1, which indicates a suboxic depositional environment. Maceral texture is indicative of transformations from subbituminous to high volatile C or B bituminous coal. The maceral components and mineral matter(10%) of the studied coals imply deposition in the planar margin mire, and a river system of planarmargin mire environments, respectively. The high gelification index (GI) and tissue preservation index(TPI) values indicate peat accumulation developed within a wet forest swamp. The ternary diagram ofthe maceral component suggests deposition in a wet moor environment with intermittent moderate tohigh flooding episodes. The studied coals are sub-hydrous vitrinite inferring hydrogen-poor and thermally immature characteristics. The low V and Ni contents, low H/C and high O/C, indicate Type IIIterrestrial organic matter with the potential to generate gaseous hydrocarbons. The investigated coalswere deposited by the river within
文摘Introduction: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among the female population in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), the main causative agent, has the potential to eradicate cervical cancer. In-country evidence of sub-types of HPV associated with cervical cancer is scanty, thus necessitating this study. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a multistage sampling technique. A molecular technique using the Cobas 4800 machine was used for genotyping. Results: 570 participants were recruited for the study. The mean age of the participants was 32.4 ± 5.2 years. The age of sexual debut ranged from 15 - 24 years with a median of 19 years. 194 participants were positive for high-risk HPV giving a prevalence of 34%. 3% (n = 17) were positive for HPV, 16. 4% (23) had a positive result for HPV, 18. 27% (n = 154) had a positive result for other high-risk groups (OHR) other than HPV 16 or 18. Positive status for high-risk HPV is associated with the presence of genital warts (OR = 7.5), a Positive HIV status (OR = 3.48), abnormal vaginal discharge (OR = 2.20), multiple sexual partners (OR = 2.30), and obesity (OR = 2.70). The prevalence of HIV in the study population was 6.84% (n = 39). Conclusion: Another High-risk HPV other than 16 and 18 appears to be the predominant form of HPV infection in Nigerian women. The risk of being positive for high-risk HPV is associated with the presence of genital warts, abnormal vaginal discharge, a positive HIV status, multiple sexual partners and Obesity. It is therefore necessary to disaggregate and study these high-risk sub-types.
文摘<b>Background: </b>Nigeria<i>,</i> one of the high burden Tuberculosis countries<i>,</i> has developed various intervention strategies to ensuring universal access to quality-assured tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment. However<i>,</i> low case detection and unsuccessful treatment outcome still remains a serious challenge in most states. Community Tuberculosis care was born against this background in 2010 as a complementing front to combat the challenges<i>,</i> bringing directly observed treatment short-course strategy beyond the clinic settings to the door steps of patients. This study evaluates the contributions of the intervention to Tuberculosis case detection and treatment outcomes in two states in Nigeria. <b>Materials and Method:</b> A retrospective study with multistage sampling technique was employed to review 23<i>,</i>241 presumptive Tuberculosis cases enrolled for management between 2014-2017. Chi-square (<i>χ</i><sup>2</sup>) test was used for test of association between the independent variables and the main outcomes of the study<i>,</i> with statistical significance set at p-value of 5%. <b>Results</b>: The annual percentage increase for both states was 24.7%<i>,</i> 189.8% and 114.5% in the study group as against 5.2%<i>,</i> 44.6% and 65.6% in control group. Overall<i>,</i> 23.8% were bacteriologically positive (either AFB or Gene-Xpert MTB/Rif) and 1.4% were clinically evaluated to be positive<i>,</i> while 74.8% were bacteriologically negative. Of the total 5861 cases treated<i>,</i> successful treatment rate of the patients in the study group was 88.6% as compared to 76.1% in the control group. The relationship between the referral system from communities where the intervention program was implemented and the case detection/treatment outcome was statistically significant (OR 95% CI = 3.15<i>,</i> 2.95 - 3.35). <b>Conclusion</b>: The community level Tuberculosis intervention led to significantly better case detection and treatment outcome when compared to the conventional approach (p ≤ 0.0
文摘The hematological and serum biochemical profiles of apparently healthy exotic breed of dogs in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria was studied in this research. One hundred and seven exotic breed of dogs were examined from October</span><span style="font-family:""> - </span><span style="font-family:"">December, 2018. The results from physical, clinical examinations and parasitological examinations were used to determine ap</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:"">parently healthy exotic breed of dogs which were used in this study. The parameters measured were rectal temperature, parasitaemia, hematology which included red blood cells count, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and hemoglobin content;total white blood cell count, including eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes counts, and platelets;serum biochemical parameters also included Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride, using standard methods. Data generated from the study were statistically analyzed using students t</span><span style="font-family:"">-</span><span style="font-family:"">test one-way analysis of variance while the level of significance </span><span style="font-family:"">was </span><span style="font-family:"">measured at p < 0.05. From this study, hematological and serum biochemical values were comparable to and not different from those reported for dogs in available literature, but the upper and lower reference limits (minimum and maximum values) were different for most parameters. Sex-related significant difference (p < 0.05) occurred only in WBC and total protein while age-related significant difference occurred only in total protein and urea level. Breed affected the MCHC and total bilirubin level which was evident in higher MCHC level in Neapolitan mastiff than Alsatian breed while total bilirubin
文摘This research was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the incorporation of calcite precipitation bacteria,sporosarcina pasteurii using calcium lactate as nutrient source and the properties of calcined clay and limestone powder blended self-compacting concrete.Ten mixes were designed and designated S0 to S9 with S0 the control(without bacteria and nutrient)and S1 to S9 at varying bacteria and calcium lactate concentrations and the effect of the bacteria cell density and calcium lactate concentration on the compressive strength,sorptivity and tensile strength with age were evaluated using experimental program and statistical packages(ANOVA and post hoc tests).The result of both the experimental program and statistical evaluation shows that the incorporation of sporosarcina pasteurii and calcium lactate as nutrients had a positive impact on the properties of the ternary blended self-compacting concrete.
文摘Global temperature has been increasing causing differences in precipitation response in different physiographic regions as feedback mechanism. The aim of this work is to model the implications of the global warming conditions on precipitation occurrences in the valley and highland areas of Nigeria. Harmonic analysis on the average monthly rainfall observations was performed for 56 years (1961-2016) using the Turbo Pascal for windows programming language in order to implement the computation. This was carried out by fitting a periodic function of sinusoidal character to enhance the determination of the contribution of each harmonic, the amplitude of each harmonic and the time at which each harmonic is maximum. The result of harmonic plots of the grand average monthly rainfall for the valley area of Makurdi and highland area of Jos shows that there exists a similarity in the trend of variations of harmonic series plots of the data as either plots exhibit single rainfall maxima or peak, meaning that rainfall patterns are mono-modal in nature. Modeled result of average monthly rainfall for the valley area of Makurdi shows an increase in rainfall occurrences from the month of January to August but a decrease from September to December, meaning an expectation of more rains immediately after onsets and lesser rains before cessations. The modeled result for the highland area of Jos however shows a decrease in the occurrence of rainfall in the months of January and February but an increase from the month of March to December. The implication is that there will be water deficiency for late crops and aquifer recharge in the valley areas while highland areas will experience delayed onset of agricultural calendar. The study recommends timely release and adherence to weather/climate forecasts.
文摘This study was designed to bridge gap in nutritionally skewed available biscuits and the high volume of agricultural waste generated by investigating the quality of biscuits prepared from wheat base, supplemented with waste from watermelon rinds and orange pomace as possible nutritious alternatives. Biscuit samples were respectively produced from blends of wheat, watermelon rind and orange pomace in the following ratio 100:0:0;90:5:5;80:10:10;70:15:15 and 60:20:20, labelled samples A, B, C, D and E. F</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">unctional, proximate, mineral and sensory properties of the formulated biscuit samples</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> were carried out using standard analytical procedures. The results showed that p</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">roximate composition of samples B - E significantly increased (p < 0.05) except for carbohydrate content when compared with sample A used as control. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">There were also significant increases (p < 0.05) in mineral contents of supplemented samples compared to control. The result of the sensory evaluation showed that wheat flour can be substituted with watermelon rind and orange pomace flours up to 10% without adversely affecting the overall quality attributes of the biscuits. These results indicate the robustness of food value addition as an effective means of improving nutritional quality of biscuits while contributing to waste management in the agricultural value chain.
文摘Consumption of ice cream produced from dairy products has been reportedly associated with health hazards. To circumvent this, this study was undertaken to formulate plant-based ice cream using kunu-zaki and soymilk (as substi<span style="font-family:Verdana;">tutes for dairy milk) fortified with mango, banana and avocado. Standard</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> method for the preparation of ice cream was modified to formulate three variants of kunu-zaki ice cream designated as B (40% kunu-zaki, 40% banana pulp and 20% </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">s</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">oymilk);C (40% </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">k</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">unu-</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">z</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">aki, 40% mango pulp and 20% soymilk);D (40% kunu-</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">z</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">aki, 40% </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">vocado pulp and 20% soymilk), while control </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">sample A was commercial dairy-based ice cream. Analyses of proximate, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">min</span><s
文摘Tin(Sn)-based perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have received increasing attention in the domain of photovoltaics due to their environmentally friendly nature.In this paper,numerical modeling and simulation of hole transport material(HTM)-free PSC based on methyl ammonium tin triiodide(CH_(3) NH_(3) SnI_(3))was performed using a one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator(SCAPS-1D)software.The eff ect of perovskite thickness,interface defect density,temperature,and electron transport material(ETM)on the photovoltaic performance of the device was explored.Prior to optimization,the device demonstrated a power conversion effi ciency(PCE)of 8.35%,fi ll factor(FF)of 51.93%,short-circuit current density(J_(sc))of 26.36 mA/cm 2,and open circuit voltage(V_(oc))of 0.610 V.Changing the above parameters individually while keeping others constant,the obtained optimal absorber thickness was 1.0μm,the interface defect density was 1010 cm-2,the temperature was 290 K,and the TiO 2 thickness was 0.01μm.On simulating with the optimized data,the fi nal device gave a PCE of 11.03%,FF of 50.78%,J_(sc) of 29.93 mA/cm 2,and V_(oc) of 0.726 V.Comparing the optimized and unoptimized metric parameters,an improvement of~32.10%in PCE,~13.41%in J_(sc),and~19.02%in V_(oc) were obtained.Therefore,the results of this study are encouraging and can pave the path for developing highly effi cient PSCs that are cost-eff ective,eco-friendly,and comparable to state-of-the-art.
文摘Nutritional evaluation of complementary food formulations from maize, soybean and peanut fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder was carried out. Maize, soybean and peanut were blended in a ratio of 60:30:10 to produce a complementary food, which was then fortified. While the unfortified food product (sample A) served as control, the other three formulations were fortified with 5%, 10% and 15% Moringa leaf powder to give three samples (B, C and D respectively) of fortified food. Nutritional composition determination and feeding trials were then carried out, using two weeks old male albino rats to determine the performance of the food formulations. While the crude protein, crude fibre, and ash contents of the diets increased significantly (p with fortification, with values ranging from 16.04% to 17.59%, 2.25% to 4.42% and 1.40% to 2.50% respectively, crude fat and carbohydrate decreased significantly (p < 0.05), with concomitant decrease in energy, with values ranging from 23.48% to 20.80%, 49.32% to 47.63% and 472.76% to 448.08 kcal/100g respectively in samples A to D. PER values significantly (p < 0.05) improved up to 10% substitution, from 1.77 in unfortified (sample A) to 1.90 in 10% fortified (sample C), but declined at 15% substitution (sample D) to 1.69. Similarly, NPR values increased from 0.71 to 0.76 and 0.68. However, all the PER values including that of Nestle Cerelac (2.04) were lower than, though within the same range, with the value of 2.10 recommended by the Protein Advisory Group (PAG) for complementary foods. Sample C (10% Moringa flour blend) gave the best performance after rat feeding trials.
文摘Background and Objectives: Chronic low-dose exposure to dichlorvos occurs in communities in Africa where the substance is used indiscriminately for a variety of purposes. This experiment used an animal model to evaluate genomic instability induced by this pattern of chronic exposure and its relationship with some measures of fertility in males. Methods: Seventy-five male Rattus norvegicus rats obtained for this experiment, were randomly allotted into five groups. Dichlorvos was given by oral gavage at doses of 0.28 mg/kg, 0.56 mg/kg and, 1.68 mg/kg, respectively, to three of the groups, on alternate days for 50 weeks. The remaining two groups received plain drinking water and cyclophosphamide as negative and positive controls, respectively. Samples were collected at 17, 34, and 50 weeks. Sperm count, sperm morphology and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, dihydrotestosterone, oestrogen and progesterone were determined. Furthermore, the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes was determined in bone marrow cells obtained from the femur. Results: The mean ranks of micronuclei frequency had an increasing trend. The frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCE) had a significant negative correlation with oestrogen (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.47, p = 0.00, n = 50), follicle-stimulating hormone (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.41, p = 0.00, n = 50) and progesterone (r<sub>s</sub> = -0.37, p = 0.01, n = 50) serum levels. A positive monotonic relationship also existed between micronuclei frequency and those of tubular necrosis, tubular vacuolation, and residual bodies. A positive significant moderate correlation was found between MnPCE and the proportion of immotile sperms (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.41, p = 0.00, n = 50). Conclusion: The nature of the correlations between micronuclei frequency and the proportion of immotile sperms, adverse histological changes and serum hormone levels found in this study suggest genomic instability as the possible mechanism for diminished fertility in ma
文摘Objective:To ascertain the level of intestinal parasites vis-a-vis the quality of housing and water supply,and sanitary conditions among the people of Kuraje village in Zamfara state. Methods:The study was cross sectional in nature.Individual households were selected using systematic random sampling methods and pre-tested questionnaires were administered to all the members of each household.Stool samples were collected and processed using standard laboratory procedures.Housing conditions,sources of water and sanitary conditions of the households were also inspected.Results were analysed using Epi Info 2006 model.Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 67.0%(347/519).72.3%(251/347),17.0%(59/347),and 10.7%(37/347) had one,two and three or more parasites,respectively.The associated factors with intestinal parasites were poor housing and sanitary conditions,lack of potable water and illiteracy.The commonest parasites encountered were hookworm(22.0%),Ascaris lumbricoides (18.5%),and Strongyloides stercoralis(15.6%) while the least common was Enterobius vermicularis (1.6%).Others were Giardia lamblia(5.7%),Hymenolepsis nana(5.0%),Trichuris trichiura(8.8%), Entamoeba histolytica(14.4%) and Schistosoma mansoni(8.4%).Conclusions:The infection rate of intestinal parasites in Kuraje village is high.More efforts should be intensified towards improvement in sanitary and housing standards,supply of potable water and institution of a more comprehensive literacy programme for the people of the community.
文摘Background: Stroke is a common neurological disorder associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aim: The study set out to characterize the clinico-radiologic pattern of stroke patients as well as to determine the correlation between the clinical and computed tomographic (CT) scan findings in a tertiary hospital in Makurdi, North central Nigeria. Method: This was a retrospective study of 145 patients with clinically suspected stroke, who underwent CT imaging at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi Nigeria between December 2020 and June 2022. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: Of the 145 clinically diagnosed cases of stroke, 122 (84.1%) were confirmed on CT. 7 (4.8%) were stroke mimics and 16 (11.0%) were normal. There were 65 (53.3%) males and 57 (46.7%) females with a male: female ratio of 1.1:1. The mean age at presentation was 58.7 ± 12.87 years with age range of 69 - 78 years being affected most. Few cases of stroke were seen below the age of fifty years. Ischaemic stroke was the commonest 77 (63.1%) followed by primary intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) 38 (31.4%) then sub arachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) 5 (4.1%). Most infarcts were below 10 cm<sup>2</sup>, while for ICH volume those below 10 cm<sup>3</sup> and above 100 cm<sup>3</sup> occurred in equal proportion. Hypertension was the main risk factor for stroke with respective frequency of 31 (21.4%) and 94 (64.8%) in isolation or associated with other risk factors like Diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia, alcohol, and smoking among others. There was significant correlation between clinical and radiological diagnosis of stroke (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The result showed slight male preponderance with majority of suspected stroke confirmed by CT;these were mostly of ischaemic type. There was significant correlation between clinical and radiologic diagnosis of stroke while hypertension was the main risk factor identified.
文摘Climate change impact and risks on agricultural livelihood affect women and men disproportionately and often to the disadvantage of women and girls. Consequently, this study assessed gender perspectives of vulnerability to climate change of farming households at Ikpayongo community in Gwer local government area, Benue State, Nigeria using descriptive approach. The study identified a total of 120 male-headed and female-headed farming households across four neighbourhoods and administered structured questionnaire on them using simple random sampling method, while data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. The results indicate lower education and income status among female-headed households, though male-headed households have high household size. Both sexes have relatively equal access to land for farming, however men have large farm size compared to women. The major crops cultivated by men were rice and yam, while women cultivated largely groundnut and cassava. Women are more exposed and sensitive to climate-related hazards such as floods and heat stress due to the location of their farms. The result further shows that males possess better adaptive capacity given their higher incomes, social networks and more access to training/capacity building programmes and credit facilities. The study concludes that female-headed farming households are more vulnerable to climate change and variability than male-headed farming households due to higher exposure and a lower adaptive capacity. Programme and policies to improve women access to credit facilities and relevant training to boost their adaptive capacity and build resilience are highly recommended. This would also limit exposure with attendant reduction in vulnerability.
