Comparative Larvicidal Properties and Detoxification Machinery of Bioactive Fractions of Leaf Extracts of Hyptis Suaveolens and Chromolaena Odorata on Anopheles gambiae s.l from North West Nigeria.

Malaria is endemic in Nigeria and the impact of chemical insecticides is being undermined by widespread resistance in mosquito vectors. This calls for development of alternative bio-insecticidal approach. The aim of this work was to determine the active fractions of leaves of Hyptis. suaveolens and Chromolena. odorata with insecticidal potential on the larva of Anopheles gambiae s.l. Leaf extracts of the two plants were screen for phytochemicals and the active fractions were subjected to GC-MS analysis. In addition, the detoxification enzymes (GST, esterase and cytochromes P450) as well Glutathione levels on the susceptible and resistant individuals of the larvae were biochemically assayed. Larval bioassay was carried out by the standard procedure described by WHO. The phytochemicals detected include flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenols and phlobatannins. Butanol fracton of H. suaveolens displayed higher larvicidal activity (LC50 2167.92ppm) followed by the aqueous fraction (LC50 2613.01ppm). Both butanol and aqueous fractions of C. odorata also displayed larvicidal activities (LC50 3117.97ppm; LC50 3497.27ppm) respectively, but were lower than that observed in Hyptis suaveolens. Biochemical assay of the detoxification enzymes showed significance difference at P <0.05 between the resistant and susceptible larvae for all enzymes. There was however no significant difference in the levels detoxification enzymes in both resistant and susceptible individuals for butanol and aqueous fractions of H. suaveolens when compared with their corresponding fractions of C. odorata at P< 0.05 respectively. The observations recorded in this study showed a promising larvicidal potential of these two plants which if further characterized could offer a promising novel bioinsecticide compound that could substitute the present classes of chemical insecticides used in malaria vector control

Factors Associated with Body Weight Changes among Nigerian Postgraduate Students at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia

International students usually experience a change in body weight and eating behaviour after migrating to a host country. The aim of this study is to determine the factors associated with body weight changes among Nigerian postgraduate students at Unversiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia. A prospective study was conducted for six months to determine the association between body weight changes and socio-demographic, eating behavior, physical activity, dietary intake and quality of life. A total of 82 students (76 male and six females) completed a set of self-administered questionnaires, and their weight and height were measured. Descriptive statistic and paired t-test were carried out to analyze the data (IBM SPSS Version 20.0). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors. Body weight significantly increased by 2.3 ± 0.5 kg after 6 months. Being an art student (β=1.67, p=0.006), being a female (β=-2.68, p=0.009), consuming breakfast once a week (β=5.10, P=<0.001),  taking morning tea less than once a month or never at all (β= 3.62, p<0.001), consuming lunch one to three times a month (β=-2.57, p= 0.006), taking afternoon tea two to three days a week (β=2.56, P=0.005), skipping meal sometimes (β=1.22, p= 0.049), taking meal at other food stalls, coffee shops or hawkers’ centers less than once a month or never at all (β=-2.31, p= <0.001) were adjusted significant associated factors for body weight changes. Socio-demography and eating behaviour were found to be the significant predicting factors of body weight changes. This paper concludes that the change in environment has an impact on body weight and eating behaviour of Nigerian students.

Clients’ perception of antenatal care services in a tertiary hospital in North Eastern Nigeria

Background: The study determined and documented the level of satisfaction and quality of care of patients attending the antenatal clinic of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. It was a cross sectional study.Methods: Using an interviewer administered questionnaire whose contents were synthesized from validated Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire III (PSQ III), information on clients’ satisfaction was obtained from 274 women attending antenatal care clinic. Data were entered in to the IBM SPSS software, and analysed. Some variables were reduced to binomial scale with two categories in order to ease the process of logistic regression. P value <0.05 at 95% confidence interval was considered significant.Results: The study showed an excellent level of satisfaction of clients with services obtained from our facility. Majority of respondents, 99 (36.1%) were aged of 20-24 years, with most of them having education above primary school level- 99 (36.1%). Although most of the clients, 158 (57.7%) were unskilled, majority of the clients’ husbands, 136 (49.6%) were middle level workers. However, logistic regression of all the significant determinants of patients’ overall satisfaction of quality of ANC services- clients’ occupation, educational status, enjoying full medical services, having enough time with doctors and access to hospital, good registration process and effective ANC laboratory, showed that none of the factors was a predictor of clients’ satisfaction.Conclusions: Periodic patient satisfaction survey should be institutionalized to provide feedback for continuous quality improvement

Occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from some sachet drinking water brands sold in Gombe metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria

Background:&nbsp;Diseases contracted through consuming contaminated water present health challenges globally, hence this study aimed to assess occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from various brands of sachet drinking water sold in Gombe metropolis.&nbsp;Methods:&nbsp;Twenty brands of samples were collected randomly, serially diluted, and cultured on nutrient agar (NA). Isolates were identified morphologically and biochemically, with antibiogram determined using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines.&nbsp;Results:&nbsp;All the 20 samples produced positive bacterial growths with counts ranging from 1.0x103&nbsp;to 9.8x103&nbsp;CFU/ml with identified colonies of&nbsp;Escherichia coli (E. coli),&nbsp;Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus),&nbsp;Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa),&nbsp;and&nbsp;Klebsiella pneumoniae&nbsp;(K. pneumoniae).&nbsp;Antibiogram revealed the isolates were all resistant to augmentin, cefixime, cefuroxime and ceftazidime, but&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;and&nbsp;S. aureus&nbsp;were also resistant to gentamicin.&nbsp;Conclusion:&nbsp;The samples were contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria that were resistant to some antibiotics. Hence there is need for enforcement of drinking water standards to avoid consequences of unsafe drinking water, thus improving the health of the population

Studies of action of heavy metals on caffeine degradation by immobilised Leifsonia sp. strain SIU

Caffeine is an important naturally occurring compound that can be degraded by bacteria. Excessive caffeine consumption is known to have some adverse problems. Previously, Leifsonia sp. strain SIU capable of degrading caffeine was isolated from agricultural soil. The bacterium was tested for its ability to degrade caffeine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. The isolate was encapsulated in gellan gum and its ability to degrade caffeine in the presence of heavy metals was determined. Out of the nine heavy metals tested, Copper (Cu), Mercury (Hg), and Silver (Ag) had significant effects on caffeine degradation at 1mg/L. Therefore, the concentration of these heavy metals was varied from 0 - 1 mg/L to see at what concentration each metal it has effect. Ag and Hg showed effect at 0.1 mg/L with caffeine degradation of 64.05 and 52.17% respectively, while Cu showed effect at 0.8 mg/L with caffeine degradation of 64.74%. These bacterium features make it an ultimate means for caffeine bioremediation. This is the first report of effect of heavy metals on caffeine degradation by immobilised Leifsonia sp. strain SIU.Keywords: Caffeine, Degradation, Heavy metals, Immobilisation, Leifsonia sp

Modelling Growth Kinetics of Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2 on TBT-Resistant Containing Lead

Tributyltin (TBT) is one of the most toxic substances ever deliberately introduced into the marine environment. The high toxicity of TBT has resulted in a wide range of adverse effects on biological systems ranging from bacteria to mammals and from the molecular to the community level. One of the most deleterious effects of TBT is imposex. The growth kinetics of TBT-Resistant Bacterium containing lead was studied. In this study various lead concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 mg/dm3 were used. Seven kinetic models (Teissier, Monod, Yano, Luong, Aiba, Webb, and Haldane,) were investigated and the accuracy of the fitted models were evaluated using statistical analysis such as coefficient of determination, adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square (RMSE). Aiba model was fitted to the experimental growth kinetics data and gave a very good fit with an R2 of 0.98 and RMSE of 0.0042 respectively. The calculated value for the Aiba constants such as maximal growth rate, half saturation constant and half inhibition constant rate symbolized by μmax, ks, and ki, were 0.038 hr-1, 0.38s mg/dm3 and 34.38 mg/dm3respectively. This is the first report of growth kinetics of TBT-Resistant bacterium by Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2 Containing lead.Keywords: Growth Kinetic models, Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2, lead, TBT-resistant bacteria

Subjective reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and sociodemographic predictors of vaccination in Nigeria: an online survey

The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective reasons for hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccination and the sociodemographic factors associated with vaccination uptake. An online social media survey was conducted among the general Nigerian population using a self-developed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression with crude and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p value of less than 0.05. A total of 576 participants with a mean age of 31.86 years participated in the study. 28% (n = 158) received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Teachers were significantly less likely than health professionals to be vaccinated (AOR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.16&ndash;0.69). In addition, unemployed people (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.15&ndash;0.89) were less likely to be vaccinated than government employees, and those of intermediate socioeconomic status (AOR = 0.47 95% CI 0.26&ndash;0.88) were less likely to be vaccinated than were those of high socioeconomic status. Five main themes emerged regarding participants&rsquo; subjective reasons for hesitating to receive the COVID-19 vaccine: fear related to vaccine content (e.g., efficacy), negative effects on the body (e.g., blood clots), distrust of the system/government (e.g., politics), psychological concerns (e.g., anxiety), and misconceptions. Sociodemographic variables and vaccine misconceptions were found to play an important role in COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Nigeria

Kematangan Emosi Pada Pria Dan Wanita Yang Menikah Muda

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji secara empiris perbedaan kematangan emosi pada pria dan wanita yang menikah muda. Penelitian ini dilakukan terhadap 25 orang pria dan 25 orang wanita yang berusia antara 18 sampai dengan 24 tahun yang menikah muda. Dari 56 item disebarkan diperoleh 34 item yang valid. Nilai korelasi yang didapat berkisar antara 0.307 sampai 0.752 sedangkan koefisien reliabilitas sebesar 0.884. Uji hipotesis menggunakan uji beda U Mann-Whitney, karena tidak terpenuhinya kriteria uji statistik parametrik. Berdasarkan analisis data diperoleh skor t sebesar -3.061 (p < 0.01). Hasil tersebut menunjukkan adanya perbedaan kematangan emosi yang sangat signifikan pada pria dan wanita yang menikah muda

Adverse event following vaccine surveillance in Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria (January 2018 - June 2019): analysis of health facility´s records

Introduction:&nbsp;Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) are one of the main reasons for inadequate immunization coverage in Kaduna State, and AEFI underreporting serves as a barrier to achieving goals of global pharmaco-vigilance for vaccine. The purpose of this study is to estimate the completeness of variables in the AEFI line-listing forms, calculate AEFI reporting rates by local government Areas &amp; vaccine type and profile the reported cases according to their reactions. Methods:&nbsp;we conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study of primary surveillance records. We calculated AEFI reporting rates in the State and local government areas and AEFI Vaccine reaction rates to the various antigens. We used Binary logistic regression to determine the association between gender and vaccine reactions. Results:&nbsp;seven thousand eight hundred and twenty-four (7,824) AEFI cases were reported. The completeness of variables on the filled AEFI line-list varied from 21% to 100%. The State had a high AEFI reporting rate of 9.09 per 10,000 administered doses. Fever (&lt;38oC) was the main AEFI reaction. Severe AEFI cases accounted for only 0.89% of the total reported cases. Pentavalent vaccine was the suspect antigen responsible for the highest number of AEFI cases, with a vaccine reaction rate of 44.77 per 10,000 doses. The Zaria Local Government area had the highest AEFI reporting rate, while the Sanga Local Government area had the lowest AEFI reporting rate in the State. The difference between genders in the number of reported AEFI cases was not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). There were 35% higher odds of occurrence of bleeding among males than among females (aOR:1.354; P-value: p=.012; 95% CI: 1.070-1.715; Nagelkerke-R2-: 0.003). The other reactions were not significantly related to gender. Conclusion:&nbsp;our study shows a higher occurrence of severe AEFI in subjects undergoing pentavalent vaccine. Thiscaused the highest incidence of AEFI. There was no significant association between gender and AEFI reactions

Diagnostic characteristics of the 20-minute whole blood clotting test in detecting venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy following carpet viper envenoming

Introduction Envenoming by Echis spp. (carpet or saw-scaled vipers) causes haemorrhage and coagulopathy and represents a significant proportion of snakebites in the savannah regions of West Africa. Early diagnosis of envenoming is crucial in the management of these patients and there is limited evidence on the utility of the 20-minute whole blood clotting test (20WBCT) in diagnosing venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy (VICC) following envenoming by Echis ocellatus. Methods A prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the Kaltungo General Hospital in North-eastern Nigeria from September 2019 to September 2021. Standardised 20WBCTs were conducted by trained hospital staff and citrated plasma samples were collected at numerous timepoints. Prothrombin time (PT) and international normalised ratio (INR) were determined using a semi-automated analyser and INR values were calculated using international sensitivity indices (ISI). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV), and likelihood ratios of the 20WBCT compared to an INR ≥ 1.4 were calculated, alongside 95% confidence intervals. Results We enrolled 121 patients into our study, with a median age of 26 (18.0–35.0) years and a male predominance (75.2%). The 20WBCT was positive (abnormal) in 101 out of 121 patients at timepoint 0h, of which 95 had an INR ≥ 1.4, giving a sensitivity of 87.2% (95%CI 79.4–92.8). Among patients with a negative 20WBCT (normal), six had an INR < 1.4 giving a specificity of 50% (95%CI 21.1–78.9%). The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 1.7 (95%CI 1.6–1.9) and 0.3 (95%CI 0.1–0.4) respectively. Conclusion The 20WBCT is a simple, cheap, and easily accessible bedside test with a high sensitivity for the detection of patients with venom induced consumptive coagulopathy (VICC) following envenoming by E. ocellatus, although false positives do occur. Repeated 20WBCTs can identify patients with new, persistent, and rebound coagulopathy