Practice Of Antenatal Clinical Breast Examination In Calabar

Reports of a rising incidence of breast cancer and the consistent finding of a significantly younger population of breast cancer patients in the country than in the west led to this study to determine the proportion of women who have a clinical breast examination at the booking visit for antenatal care in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).The booking information on the antenatal cards of patients who registered within a one-month period was examined. Clinical breast examination (CBE) was performed on 41.6% of the women. Women who were reviewed by consultants recorded a rate of 78.2% while the rates for women attended to by resident doctors and interns were 41.2% and 19.6% respectively (P=0.00). The CBE rate was 57.6% among women who were reviewed by female physicians and 38.3% among those reviewed by male physicians (P = 0.00). The practice of CBE in UCTH is low and is significantly related to the cadre and gender of the attending physician. Obstetricians must embrace the practice fully and utilize measures such as increased supervision and departmental seminars to sensitize doctors they train to emulate them. KEYWORDS: Antenatal, Practice and Breast Examinatio

Sensory and market attributes of wheat-Musa. spp-soybean (WPS) flour composite bread

Communication In Physical Sciences 2020, 5(2): 136-144 Authors: K. G. Ta’awu, M. C. Ekanem, *P. G. Udofia, & A. Mairo  Received 16 March 2018/Accepted 20 April 2020 In order to search for local raw materials that could meet the formulation of affordable, nutritious and functional bread that can compete or perform better than the 100% wheat flour, we conducted a study with, composite bread samples baked with blends ofwheat, soybeans and plantain flours. The composite flours were formulated using the augmented Simplex Lattice {3,3} design of the response surface methodology (RSM). Fourteen (14) samples from the respective blends were produced using standard method. The bread samples were subjected to sensory evaluation, using the semi-trained panelist of 20 members consisting of 10 male and 10 female, who were familiar with bread quality. The results indicated that the sensory attributes of the 100% wheat (standard) bread, the minimally supplemented bread samples scored higher values of the sensory parameters including shelf stability. Models of the parameters of the bread samples were not significant (p>0.05), but their response surface plots and calculated mathematical models indicated some levels of influence by the components. Optimization analysis of the sensory evaluation and shelf-stability data revealed that 0.590, 0.220, 0.195 proportions of wheat, Musa spp. and soybean floursproduced 7.163, 6.835, 6.653, 5.737, 5.301, 8.184, for taste, colour, texture, aroma, acceptability and preference respectively at100% desireability level. Acceptability and preference of the samples exhibited similar trends with the taste, colour, aroma, andtexture. The bread quality parameters were observed to be function of the proportions of the flour components in the samples. The mean mold-free day of the samples was 4.0, the highest hedonic value and shelf-stability were observed in the sample that had high substitution of wheat

Incidence Of Ectopic Pregnancy In Calabar, Nigeria: Two Halves Of The Last Decade Compared

Reports of a rising incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the country and beyond prompted this study to determine the incidence in Calabar over two time frames. Information from ward registers and case notes of EP patients who presented to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1995 were analyzed and compared with records of those who presented from 1996 to 2000. In the second half of the study period, the incidence was 3.30 per 100 deliveries, significantly higher than 2.19% in the first (p = 0.0008). The mean age of EP patients was 26.2 (sd = 5.38), significantly lower than 28.8 (sd = 5.99) for women who delivered in the same period (p 0.05). The incidence of EP appears to be rising in Calabar and puerperal infections may be important in the rise. Population-based prospective studies are necessary to confirm the findings. KEYWORDS: Ectopic Pregnancy, Calabar, Nigeri

Itaconic Acid Production from Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera L) Using Fungi in Solid State Fermentation

This study evaluates the potentials of Phoenix dactylifera L (Date fruits) as possible alternative raw materials for itaconic acid production using naturally occurring fungi. Date fruit (pulp) was used as a substrate in solid state fermentation for the production of itaconic acid using naturally occurring fungus.The date fruit (pulp) was de-capped from its seed manually with the aid of a knife and dried in an oven at 60 0C and was grounded using an Excella Mixer grinder. The fungus used was naturally isolated by fermentation of substrate (date pulp) and was identified as Aspergillus niger. Proximate analysis was carried out on the substrate using standard methods. Parameters such as substrate concentration, inoculum size and fermentation period were varied using standard methods to determine its effect on itaconic acid production. Assay for itaconic acid production was carried out using standard methods at a wavelength of 385nm. Amount of itaconic acid produced was derived by translation of absorbance values on the itaconic acid curve. The substrate had a high carbohydrate content of 72.29%. The fermentation results showed maximum production of itaconic acid of 20.75±0.25mg/ml using 40g substrate, 15.13±1.13mg/ml using 2 ml inoculums size of spore suspension (2×105 spores/ml) and a maximum yield of 16.88±0.13mg/ml at day 1 of fermentation period. On optimization with 40g substrate and 2 ml inoculums for 3 days a maximum yield was observed at day 2 of fermentation with a maximum yield of 25.00±1.00mg/ml. The highest acidic level throughout the fermentation period was observed to be at pH 4.2. From the study it was concluded that date pulp is a promising substrate and could be utilized by Aspergillus niger for the production of itaconic acid

Fermentation rate monitoring in the production of African protein based condiments

Fermented African locust bean seeds can be used as substitute to chemically based food spices. It improves sensory properties of foods which includes the organoleptic characteristics. P. biglobosa (African locust bean) seeds were processed and fermented to a vegetable protein based African condiment known as ‘Iru’. Fermentation process was carried out at four different temperatures which are 40, 50, 60 and 70℃. The monitoring of the fermentation rate was based on three parameters namely: Carbon dioxide production, pH and reduction in substrate weight. Substrates were inoculated with Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as starter culture while fermentation process took place for the duration of five days under anaerobic condition. The result obtained from the pH of fermented seeds confirmed the fermentation process to be alkaline in nature

Comparative Study of Neuronal Degenerative Potentials of Ethanolic Root Bark and Leaf Extracts of Rauwolfia Vomitoria on the Cerebellum of Adult Wistar Rats

Rauwolfia vomitoria has been used for centuries in India and Africa for treatment of a variety of disorders including snake bites and sting, insomnia and insanity. Neuronal degenerative potentials of ethanolic root bark and leaf extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria on the cerebellum of adult wistar rats was investigated. Thirty wistar rats weighing between 170-240g were divided into six groups, each consisting of five rats. Groups A served as the normal control that received distilled water while group B served as the olive oil control that received 0.5mls of olive oil. Experimental groups C and D received 200mg/kg, 300mg/kg of ethanolic root bark extracts while groups E and F received 200mg/kg, 300mg/kg of the leaf extract orally respectively for seven days.  In this study, the treatment groups showed a dose-dependent degree of silver impregnation of the cell bodies and axons. The sections of the cerebellar cortex of the treated group C, D, E and F showed various degrees of neurodegenerative changes highlighted by the silver stain impregnation which was more intense in groups C and D that received 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg ethanolic root-bark than in the groups E and F that received 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg of ethanolic leaf extract. These changes may result in cerebellar dysfunction Keywords: Ethanolic extracts, Root-bark extract, Leaf extract, Rauwolfia vomitoria

Perception of professionals on causes of structural cracks in concrete buildings

Of recent, the incessant collapse of buildings in some major cities in Nigeria has become a major concern to professionals in the construction industry and the general public because it has resulted in most cases loss of lives and valuables which could affect our attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs). One of the key features that affect the quality of built structures and usage is crack. The occurrence of a crack in a structural member can weaken the member and eventually lead to building failure and outright collapse. This paper examines the perception of professionals in the Nigeria building industry on the causes and impact of crack on built structures. Primary data were obtained through questionnaires administered to practising professionals within Lagos state. Results obtained from the majority of the professionals indicate that occurrence of a crack in the building is majorly caused by foundation settlement, poor selection of construction materials and technique, design error and corrosion of the steel bar and thus have a significant impact on the structural integrity of the building. It was concluded by proposing certain preventive measures to mitigate crack in buildings so as to prevent possible building failure and attainment of the SDGs

Seismic attenuation in fractured porous media: insights from a hybrid numerical and analytical model

Seismic attenuation in fluid-saturated porous rocks can occur by geometric spreading, wave scattering or the internal dissipation of energy, most likely due to the squirt-flow mechanism. In principle, the pattern of seismic attenuation recorded on an array of sensors contains information about the medium, in terms of material heterogeneity and anisotropy, as well as material properties such as porosity, crack density, and pore-fluid composition and mobility. In practice, this inverse problem is challenging. Here we provide some insights into the effects of internal dissipation by analysing synthetic data produced by a hybrid numerical and analytical model for seismic wave propagation in a fractured medium embedded within a layered geological structure. The model is made up of one anisotropic and three isotropic horizontal layers. The anisotropic layer consists of a porous, fluid-saturated material containing vertically aligned inclusions representing a set of fractures. This combination allows squirt-flow to occur between the pores in the matrix and the model fractures. Our results show that the fluid mobility and the associated relaxation time of the fluid-pressure gradient control the frequency range over which attenuation occurs. This induced attenuation increases with incidence angle and azimuth away from the fracture strike-direction. Azimuthal variations in the induced attenuation are elliptical allowing the fracture orientations to be obtained from the axes of the ellipse. These observations hold out the potential of using seismic attenuation as an additional diagnostic in the characterisation of rock formations for a variety of applications including hydrocarbon exploration and production, subsurface storage of CO2, and geothermal energy extraction

Comparative genomics of Cluster O mycobacteriophages

Mycobacteriophages - viruses of mycobacterial hosts - are genetically diverse but morphologically are all classified in the Caudovirales with double-stranded DNA and tails. We describe here a group of five closely related mycobacteriophages - Corndog, Catdawg, Dylan, Firecracker, and YungJamal - designated as Cluster O with long flexible tails but with unusual prolate capsids. Proteomic analysis of phage Corndog particles, Catdawg particles, and Corndog-infected cells confirms expression of half of the predicted gene products and indicates a non-canonical mechanism for translation of the Corndog tape measure protein. Bioinformatic analysis identifies 8-9 strongly predicted SigA promoters and all five Cluster O genomes contain more than 30 copies of a 17 bp repeat sequence with dyad symmetry located throughout the genomes. Comparison of the Cluster O phages provides insights into phage genome evolution including the processes of gene flux by horizontal genetic exchange