Evaluation of Entamoeba Histolytica Transmission Rates amongst Primary School Children in Five Selected Communities in Gwagwalada Area Council, Fct, Abuja, Nigeria

Amoebic dysentery is a cosmopolitan infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica and ranks third among parasitic infections that lead to death especially in children. Epidemiological data in most rural communities about this infection is scanty. Three hundred and fifty (350) children aged 0- 14 years were sampled for E. histolytica infection in five communities in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT-Abuja. The stool samples were examined for cysts of E. histolytica using saline and iodine preparations. The prevalence rate of 18.6 % was recorded. The prevalence by sex showed a higher infection rate in males (20.0 %) than females (17.1%) which was significantly different (x2, p<0.05). This showed an association between sex and the prevalence of E. histolytica. There was also a slight association observed among the different age groups. The highest prevalence of 28.6 % was recorded in children from Passo community, although there was no significant difference among the communities (x2, p>0.05). There is therefore an urgent need for improved sanitation, personal hygiene and a proper deworming scheme amongst school children in the study areas to alleviate the scourge. Keywords: Evaluation, Entamoeba histolytica, Transmission, Children, Communities, Abuja.

Molecular analysis of multidrug-resistant E. coli in pediatric UTIs: findings from a Nigerian Hospital

Introduction: This study aimed to isolate and characterize antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli from urine samples of children at the Mother and Child Hospital in Ondo State, Nigeria, assessing antibiogram profiling and resistance genes. Methodology: Three hundred urine samples (158 females, 142 males), aged 3-5 years, were collected, transported on ice, and analyzed bacteriologically. E. coli and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated using Eosin Methylene Blue agar and identified through colony morphology and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined via Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion, and resistance genes were detected using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Results: Of the 300 samples, 40 (13.3%) yielded E. coli with varying antibiotic resistance profiles. The highest resistance was against Amoxicillin-clavulanate (87.5%) followed by Ceftriaxone (80%). Susceptibility was observed to Nitrofurantoin, Erythromycin, and Chloramphenicol. Multiple resistance patterns against 3-4 antibiotic classes were recorded, with 12 distinct patterns observed. Eight isolates harbored blaCTX-M gene, while five carried the aac3-IV gene. Conclusions: The study concluded a high occurrence of E. coli infection and multiple antibiotic resistance in the region. The presence of resistance genes suggests significant economic and health implications, emphasizing prudent antibiotic use under physician guidance to mitigate multiple antibiotic resistance

STUDY OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOR AND SURFACE INTERACTION OF AA6063 TYPE AL-MG-SI ALLOY BY SODIUM MOLYBDATE IN SIMULATED SEA WATER ENVIRONMENT

The potential of sodium molybdate on the corrosion of aluminium alloy AA6063 type was examined with the view to study the electrochemical and surface degradation for metal-inhibitor interface using gravimetric and electrochemical corrosion techniques in simulated s~awater environment. The microstructures of as-corroded samples were also assessed for their surface morphology.The results show thatcorrosion rate decreased with an increase in the inhibitor concentration and exposure time. Equally, the inhibition efticiency increased with inhibitor addition with maximum efficiency obtained at 5g/v sodium molybdate addition. The adsorption of the molecules of the extract on the aluminium alloy surface obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The potentiodynamic polarization results showed that sodium molybdate acted as mixed-type i•1hibitor

Natural weapons unleashed: Harnessing Hyptis suaveolens, charcoal dust, and wood ash extracts for controlling insect pests of Maize (Zea mays)

Insect pests pose a significant threat to maize (Zea mays) crops worldwide, leading to substantial yield losses and reduced agricultural productivity. Traditional control methods relying on synthetic pesticides have raised concernsregarding their environmental impact and potential health risks. Therefore, the search for eco-friendly and sustainablealternatives is essential. This study investigates the efficacy of natural extracts derived from Hyptis suaveolens(commonly known as wild mint), charcoal, and wood ash in the control of insect pests infesting maize crops. Researchwas conducted at an experimental unit at University of Ilorin in 2022 using a pot trial. The experiment employed arandomized complete block design, with treatments including ethanol extracts of Hyptis suaveolens, charcoal dust, andwood ash, as well as a control group with no treatment. A kilogram of wood ash, Hyptis suaveolens and charcoal eachwas soaked in 5liters of ethanol for 48hours. Each mixture was sieved, extracted and applied at 30g/L to maize plantsat various growth stages to assess their insecticidal properties against common pests such as aphids, armyworms, andmaize weevils while the control (Cypermethrin) was applied at 2.25ml per liter. The results of the study demonstratedthat the application of Hyptis suaveolens extracts significantly reduced the population of insect pests compared to thecontrol group. The extracts exhibited strong insecticidal properties, effectively repelling or eliminating a wide range ofinsect pests

Desempenho produtivo e qualidade da carne de frangos alimentados com ração contendo óleo de linhaça

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da utilização de óleo de linhaça, em substituição ao óleo de soja, sobre a produtividade e a qualidade da carne de frangos de corte de ambos os sexos. Foram utilizadas 320 aves, em um arranjo fatorial 4x2 - quatro combinações dos períodos de fornecimento de óleo de soja e óleo de linhaça e dois sexos - e quatro repetições. O desempenho produtivo foi avaliado por pesagens da ração e das aves com 1, 21, 42 dias e no momento do abate, aos 49 dias de idade. Após o abate, foi avaliado o rendimento de carcaça e sua composição: cortes, vísceras e gordura abdominal. Foram determinados os teores de lipídeos totais, umidade e colesterol da carne. A dieta contendo óleo de linhaça melhorou a qualidade nutricional da fração lipídica da carne de frango, mas prejudicou o desempenho produtivo das aves

Subsidence analysis of the permian tanqua depocentre, Southwestern Karoo Basin, South Africa

Basin subsidence analysis, employing the backstripping method, indicates that two fundamentally different basin-generating mechanisms controlled the Tanqua depocentre development in the southwestern Karoo Basin, South Africa. On one hand, the subsidence curves display initial dominantly decelerating subsidence suggesting an extensional regime and thermal control due to heating of the lithosphere possibly in a strike-slip setting. While on the other hand, a cooling phase followed the initial heating phase, and subsequent rapidly accelerating subsidence most likely a foreland basin compression which suggests flexure of the lithosphere. Based on this work, the subsidence phases of the Tanqua depocentre implies that the southwestern Karoo Basin was superimposed on a passive continental margin, i.e. on a lithosphere which was already mechanically extended and had thermally subsided. This implies that subsidence was initiated and mainly controlled by mechanical (i.e. detachment faults of basement blocks) rather than thermal events (i.e. sediment burial). In this context, the southwestern Karoo Basin evolved from a "passive" continental margin into an Andean-type continental foreland basin; hence charaaerizing a fully evolved post-rift setting along the southwestern Gondwana margin. © 2011 December Geological Society of South Africa

Knowledge, Utilization, and Accessibility of Child Welfare Card among Caregivers in a Tertiary Center in South West Nigeria

Background: The Child Welfare Card (CWC) contains the records of a child's immunization and information on the other aspects of the child's health, including growth curves and home treatment of diarrheal disease to mention a few. How easily retrievable these records are and what influence the cards have on parents/caregivers regarding the child's nurture are uncertain in our environment. Aim: The present study was aimed at assessing the parents/caregivers' knowledge and utilization of CWCs as well as the health-providers' accessibility of the card in the hospital. Method: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive one that involved the parents/caregivers of children aged 60 months and below, attending the children's clinics and wards in a tertiary center. We collected the relevant information, including the sociodemographic data of the parents/caregivers, their knowledge, and assessed the utilization of CWC. The analysis of the categorical data was performed with the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (S.P.S.S) version 23.0 for windows. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Of the 377 parents/caregivers enrolled in the study, good knowledge of the contents of the CWC was demonstrated by 82 (21.8%) while 78 (20.7%) made the cards available to the health care providers. Eighty (21.2%) made adequate use of the cards at home. A greater number of parents/caregivers from the higher social class had good knowledge of the intervention contents of the CWC (P = 0.005). The accessibility of the cards to the health care-providers was significantly higher among the older parents/caregivers (P = 0.010), those with a good knowledge of CWC (P = 0.020) and parents/caregivers from higher social class (P = 0.001). Subjects with good knowledge were 2.4 times (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.4-4.2) more likely to utilize the intervention contents in the CWC. Conclusion: The overall knowledge, utilization, and accessibility of the CWC were poor. Parents/caregivers with good knowledge were more likely to utilize the information on the CWC compared with participants with poor knowledge

Performance evaluation and monitoring of a mobile telecommunication network

This study aims to determine both qualities of service provided by the network service provider as well as developing a monitoring technique of overseeing mobile telecommunication network in Nigeria. Key performance indicators of call setup success rate, call drop rate and call block rate, receive quality level and the receive signal level are used to determine the quality of service of the various service provider of Mtn, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile(then Etisalat). This research uses Unison mobile software, telemonitoring segment to improve performance and was carried out in Ifo metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria. The telemonitoring segment is achieved using an IP camera which is networked using a wide area network (WAN). The IP camera is connected to a mobile phone module which contains a mobile signal measurement application that measures the received signal strength level of the neighbouring base station. The information of the signal strength can be obtained remotely and quality of service determined. The result of the quality of service shows that receive signal level of ≥ 65dBm was highest for Airtel with 83.5% while the lowest of 14% was recorded for Globacom network. The studies also incorporate methods of remotely obtaining signal strength measurement in any part of the Country using networking. Keywords: Key performance indicator, quality of service, network operators, cellular mobile, subscriber

Treatment outcomes of Nigerian patients with tuberculosis: A retrospective 25-year review in a regional medical center

10.1371/journal.pone.0239225PLoS ONE1510-Octe023922