Social Cultural Factors Influencing Women’s Participation in Sports as Perceived by Female Students of the University of Ilorin

This study investigated the socio-cultural factors influencing women’sparticipation in sports as perceived by female undergraduates in the University of Ilorin. Two hundred female undergraduate students residing in school halls of residence were involved in the study. These were selected using simple randomsampling. A twenty-two item questionnaire based on  socio-cultural factors influencing female participation in sports was administered to the respondents. The findings were that culture, family background, religion, peer grouping and gender influence females’ participation in sports. In view of this, it was recommended that government should encourage participation in sports by providing scholarship and other incentives to female athletes who excel in anysports competition while mass media should organize enlightenment programmes that will mitigate the socio-cultural factors hindering women’s involvement in sports.Keywords: Student support services; Sports participation; Gender

Effect of garlic (Allium sativum) on Salmonella typhi infection, gastrointestinal flora and hematological parameters of albino rats

The effect of consumption of garlic (Allium sativum) in treating Salmonella typhi infection and on the gastrointestinal flora and hematological parameters of rats was investigated. Crude garlic extract inhibited the growth of S. typhi on agar plate with a zone of inhibition averaging 23.8 mm in diameter using the agar diffusion assay. This inhibition was superior to that of all the conventional antibiotics used except streptomycin which gave a growth inhibitory value of 24.0 mm. In the in vivo assay, although, pretreatment with the extract did not protect rats orogastrically dosed with the infective dose of S. typhi from the infection, the consumption of crude garlic extract however, caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in the number of S. typhi in the feaces of the infected rats from 2.0 x 108 to 9.0 x 101 cfu/ml and also reduced the duration of infection from 5 to 3 days. On the effect of consumption of garlic extract on the type and load of gastrointestinal flora and hematological parameters of rats, garlic extract caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in the type of bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract of rats fed 1 ml daily for 7 weeks from six microbial types to one microbial species, reduction in microbial load of the flora from 1.64 x 1012 to 1.3 x 107 cfu/ml, reduction in packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cells (WBC) and lymphocytes counts but caused an increase in neutrophils and monocytes counts of the rats. The observed increases in the neutrophils and monocytes counts of the blood suggested that garlic may possess immune-stimulatory effect in addition to its antibacterial effect.Key words: Salmonella typhi, Allium sativum, antibacterial activity, rats

Hydrogeophysical Study Of The Groundwater Potential Of Ilara-Mokin Southwestern Nigeria

Geoelectric study of the groundwater potential of Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State Southwestern Nigeria was carried out using electrical resistivity (Vertical Electrical Sounding) method with the view to providing adequate information on the different sub-surface geoelectric layers, structural configuration of the concealed basement rocks and the groundwaterpotential of the study area. Forty-one Schlumberger vertical electrical soundings (VES) were conducted across the study area. The computerassisted VES data interpretation enabled generation of geoelectric curves, sections and overburden thickness map which were used in the delineation of key hydrogeologic features like the topsoil, weathered basement, fractured basement and the fresh basement. Resistivity values range from 21 Ω-m to 798 Ω-m in the topsoil, 14 Ω-m to 209 Ω- m in the weathered basement, 51 Ω-m to 209 in the partially weathered/fractured basement and 312 Ω-m to ∞ within the fresh basement. Layer thickness values also vary from 0.3 m to 6.1 m in the topsoil and 0.9 m to 28.6 m in theweathered basement. The depth to the resistive bedrock ranges from 0.3 m to 29.3 m across the study area. The study revealed that greater part of Ilara-Mokin town is underlain by marginally thick overburden thus constituting shallow aquifer units with poor to marginal groundwater potential. Partially weathered/fractured basement were delineated in isolated cases with tendency for low to marginal groundwater yield around central and northeastern areas of the town. The results reasonably provide basic information that is expected to assist in the future development of groundwater resources in Ilara-Mokin

Geophysical study of saline water intrusion in Lagos municipality

Saline water intrusion presently constitutes serious concerns in the Lagos municipality just like many other coastal cities, thus necessitating its intervallic study. The present study involving 52 borehole logs (consisting of natural gamma and electrical resistivity components) was aimed at delineating intruded and vulnerable zones. Saline water columns defined by low resistivity values in the range of 0.1 and 20 Ωm as compared to fresh water (≥ 100 Ωm) were delineated on 22 logs. Four of the geosections generated in this study indicate saline water intrusion at depths varying from surface in Satellite Town, Kirikiri, Ijora, Iganmu, Apapa, Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki to depths ranging from 40 m at Iganmu to 158 m at Lekki. Intrusions of 47 m (143 - 190 m) and 60 m (56 - 116 m) were delineated at Ajah; 50 m (265 - 315 and 258 - 308) at Lakowe; 57 and 112 m (51 - 108 m and 198 - 308) at Ibeju Lekki, Akodo and 122 m at (233 - 355m) at Awoyaya. The hydrogeologic importance of the Coastal Plain Sand aquifer unit in Lagos is under severe threat of continued sea water intrusion on its southern flank. This study illustrates the current extension of the sea water intrusion. It highlights the depreciation of the water resource due to over pumping at higher rate than the natural recharge and slow sea level rise.Key words: Borehole logs, saline water intrusion/incursion, natural gamma, resistivity, freshwater sand

Rhodanese is a Possible Enzyme Marker for Cyanide Environmental Stress on Aquatic Life

Rhodanese is a cyanide detoxifying enzyme. The role of man through his anthropogenic activities in and around water bodies have increased in recent times. These have led to constant exposure of water body to cyanide and cyanide compounds with increase to loss of many aquatic lives. There are limited methods employed in quick detection of cyanide in water. The aim of this paper was to present rhodanese, an enzyme, as a possible marker for detecting and monitoring water pollution as a result of environmental stress from anthropogenic activities and constant climatic changes.Keywords: Rhodanese, Aquatic Life, Water Body, Cyanide, Toxicit

Rural Households\u2019 Attitude towards Potential Use of Jatropha for Environmental Restoration in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

The study examined rural households\u2019 attitude towards potential use of Jatropha for environmental restoration in Saki-West Local Government Area. A purposive sampling procedure was used in selecting due to deforestation for charcoal production, while 120 respondents were sampled with a simple random technique from the study area. The data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire with interview section, and were analyzed with frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and Pearson product moment correlation. There was correlation between rural households\u2019 awareness on use of Jatropha and use of Jatropha for environmental restoration (r = 0.399**, p < 0.05). The respondents\u2019 attitude was significantly related to their behavior in utilization of Jatropha for environmental restoration (r = - 0.182*, p < 0.05). The study showed that awareness and attitude of rural households strongly influenced use of Jatropha for environmental restoration. The implication of this study is to ensure that the environment becomes free of hazards and degradation which affect survival of the ecosystem and biodiversity. Hence, government should join in the advocacy to open continuous channels of communication on the importance of Jatropha, and to also motivate the people to having right attitude towards the use of Jatropha as a measure to restoring the environment

Perception and safety practices to zoonotic diseases transmission among small ruminant farmers in Ona-Ara local government area of Oyo State

The study examined the awareness and safety practices to zoonotic diseases transmission among small ruminant farmers in Ona-Ara local Government area of Oyo state. Random sampling was used to select 50% of the farmers association in each village to give total number of 110 respondents in the study area. Data was obtained using structured interview schedule and described statistically with Chi Square and PPMC for the hypotheses. The study revealed that most (71.8%) of the respondents were male, 77.3% were married and 54.9% fell above 51 years of age. Also, the study revealed that 48.2% of the respondents had no formal education while few (7.2%) had secondary education with 49.1% of the respondents being Christians and 47.3% Muslim. The study further showed that most (75.5%) of the respondents had low level of awareness towards zoonotic disease transmission while 24.5 % had high awareness on zoonotic diseases. Also, most (50.9%) of the respondents had unfavourable perception towards zoonotic diseases transmission while 49.1 % of them had favourable perception. Also, most (91.8%) of the respondents regularly carried out routine disease monitoring on their animals, bondage the wounds of their animals (91.8%), wash or sanitize their hands after contact with diseased animals (75.5%) and apply disinfectant (70.9%). Hypothesis of the study revealed that there was no significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their use of safety practices except marital status (x2=29.748, p=0.000) and years of experience (r=0.342.  p=0.000) which were significantly related. PPMC analysis showed that there was significant relationship  between the level of awareness and safety practices (ᵪ2 =0.420, p=0.000). Also, there was significant relationship between respondents’ perception on zoonotic disease transmission (r= 0.294, P=0.02). It is therefore recommended that appropriate authorities should create adequate enlightenment programmes on zoonotic disease transmission through various media to ensure a balance in the level of utilization of zoonotic disease information and safety practices among farmers. Keywords: Awareness, safety practices, zoonotic diseases, small ruminant farmer

Computational Biology and Bioinformatics in Nigeria

Over the past few decades, major advances in the field of molecular biology, coupled with advances in genomic technologies, have led to an explosive growth in the biological data generated by the scientific community. The critical need to process and analyze such a deluge of data and turn it into useful knowledge has caused bioinformatics to gain prominence and importance. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary research area that applies techniques, methodologies, and tools in computer and information science to solve biological problems. In Nigeria, bioinformatics has recently played a vital role in the advancement of biological sciences. As a developing country, the importance of bioinformatics is rapidly gaining acceptance, and bioinformatics groups comprised of biologists, computer scientists, and computer engineers are being constituted at Nigerian universities and research institutes. In this article, we present an overview of bioinformatics education and research in Nigeria. We also discuss professional societies and academic and research institutions that play central roles in advancing the discipline in Nigeria. Finally, we propose strategies that can bolster bioinformatics education and support from policy makers in Nigeria, with potential positive implications for other developing countries. © 2014 Fatumo et al.SAF was supported by H3ABioNet NABDA Node, Abuja, Nigeria with NIH Common Fund Award/NHGRI Grant Number U41HG006941 and Genetic Epidemiology Group at Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.Published versio

Utilization of insecticide treated nets during pregnancy among postpartum women in Ibadan, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pregnant women are susceptible to symptomatic malaria due to invasion of the placenta by plasmodium. Malaria increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes for mothers, the foetuses and newborns. The effective use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) would be of benefit to these vulnerable women. Previous studies have focused on prenatal-women but this study sought to explore the actual trend of utilization of the proven strategy across all the pregnancy stages among postpartum women in Ibadan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cross-sectional survey utilized a validated structured questionnaire for data collection. A calculated sample of 335 postpartum women was proportionately recruited from three fee-paying facilities within Ibadan, Nigeria using a simple random sampling technique. These hospitals have high client flow for maternity cases and are known for provision of care under traditional ANC model. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics by means of Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15. The level of significance was set at = 0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The women's age ranged between 18 and 47 years, mean age was 29.4 ± 0.8 years. Various irregularities marked the traditional model of ANC provided at the settings and no exposure to preconception care. Also, 276 (82.4%) had heard of ITNs. Antenatal clinics formed the major source of information. Low utilization and compliance rates were observed. One hundred and twenty-seven (37.9%) of the women had high knowledge of Malaria in Pregnancy (MIP) but only 70 (20.9%) demonstrated positive attitude towards the use of ITNs. Participants' educational status, family types, employment and residential areas significantly influenced ITNs utilization.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The women knew and learned about ITNs from ANC visits. Majority of the women did not own ITNs because of lack of access to free distribution. The existing traditional model of ANC was marked by irregularities and none of the women was exposed to preconception care. In addition, negative attitude in spite of increased knowledge of MIP was observed among the women. Therefore, evaluation of free distribution of ITNs is recommended. Integration of focused ANC and preconception care are advocated to promote early access to health information.</p

Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950-2019 : a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Accurate and up-to-date assessment of demographic metrics is crucial for understanding a wide range of social, economic, and public health issues that affect populations worldwide. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 produced updated and comprehensive demographic assessments of the key indicators of fertility, mortality, migration, and population for 204 countries and territories and selected subnational locations from 1950 to 2019. Methods 8078 country-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 938 surveys, 349 censuses, and 238 other sources were identified and used to estimate age-specific fertility. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate age-specific fertility rates for 5-year age groups between ages 15 and 49 years. With extensions to age groups 10-14 and 50-54 years, the total fertility rate (TFR) was then aggregated using the estimated age-specific fertility between ages 10 and 54 years. 7417 sources were used for under-5 mortality estimation and 7355 for adult mortality. ST-GPR was used to synthesise data sources after correction for known biases. Adult mortality was measured as the probability of death between ages 15 and 60 years based on vital registration, sample registration, and sibling histories, and was also estimated using ST-GPR. HIV-free life tables were then estimated using estimates of under-5 and adult mortality rates using a relational model life table system created for GBD, which closely tracks observed age-specific mortality rates from complete vital registration when available. Independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated by an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance and other sources were incorporated into the estimates in countries with large epidemics. Annual and single-year age estimates of net migration and population for each country and territory were generated using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model that analysed estimated age-specific fertility and mortality rates along with 1250 censuses and 747 population registry years. We classified location-years into seven categories on the basis of the natural rate of increase in population (calculated by subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate) and the net migration rate. We computed healthy life expectancy (HALE) using years lived with disability (YLDs) per capita, life tables, and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty was propagated throughout the demographic estimation process, including fertility, mortality, and population, with 1000 draw-level estimates produced for each metric. Findings The global TFR decreased from 2.72 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2.66-2.79) in 2000 to 2.31 (2.17-2.46) in 2019. Global annual livebirths increased from 134.5 million (131.5-137.8) in 2000 to a peak of 139.6 million (133.0-146.9) in 2016. Global livebirths then declined to 135.3 million (127.2-144.1) in 2019. Of the 204 countries and territories included in this study, in 2019, 102 had a TFR lower than 2.1, which is considered a good approximation of replacement-level fertility. All countries in sub-Saharan Africa had TFRs above replacement level in 2019 and accounted for 27.1% (95% UI 26.4-27.8) of global livebirths. Global life expectancy at birth increased from 67.2 years (95% UI 66.8-67.6) in 2000 to 73.5 years (72.8-74.3) in 2019. The total number of deaths increased from 50.7 million (49.5-51.9) in 2000 to 56.5 million (53.7-59.2) in 2019. Under-5 deaths declined from 9.6 million (9.1-10.3) in 2000 to 5.0 million (4.3-6.0) in 2019. Global population increased by 25.7%, from 6.2 billion (6.0-6.3) in 2000 to 7.7 billion (7.5-8.0) in 2019. In 2019, 34 countries had negative natural rates of increase; in 17 of these, the population declined because immigration was not sufficient to counteract the negative rate of decline. Globally, HALE increased from 58.6 years (56.1-60.8) in 2000 to 63.5 years (60.8-66.1) in 2019. HALE increased in 202 of 204 countries and territories between 2000 and 2019. Interpretation Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition. Tracking demographic change and the emergence of new patterns will be essential for global health monitoring. Copyright (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe