Bioaccumulation of heavy metals by leafy vegetables grown with industrial effluents: A review

Vegetables are capable of taking up and  accumulating heavy metals in their body. The concentrations of the metals increase as the soil available/background concentration increases as a result of human activities including discharge and dumping of industrial waste and effluents into environment. The aim of this review is to highlight the capability of the vegetables to take up and accumulate toxic heavy metals into their body as a result of industrial contamination of the soil and the water used for irrigation purpose and the impact of the metals on human and other organisms in the environment. For this review, available information on current publications, scientific journals, and articles were carefully used. Studies have shown that vegetables grown on a heavy metals contaminated soil accumulate higher amounts of metals than those grown on uncontaminated soils, because in most cases, they absorb the metals through the root. Sometimes, metals may be incorporated with some essential elements required by plants in water and soil. Certain species classified as hyper accumulators are vegetables (mostly leafy vegetables like; spinach, lettuce, and cabbage. Some of the factors that affect metals uptake in o plant tissue includes; bioavailability, nature and type of the metal, environmental factors including pH and the plant itself, as some studies have shown some plants to have high uptake capacity than others. High concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cu were reported for vegetables grown in industrial areas. In most instances, the background concentration of the heavy metals in the soil may not exceed the permissible limit, however, the vegetables have the ability to absorb and accumulate the metals even above the permissible limit. These heavy metals are toxic and pose serious effect on human health and other organisms in the environment. Conclusively, vegetables plays an important role in the body because they provides some essential nutrients to the body as such, any contamination can pose a serious health threat. Moreover, prolonged exposure and consumption of these contaminated vegetables may lead cancer and death.Key words: Accumulation, Biota, Effluent, Heavy metal, Toxic, and Vegetables

Effects of petroleum ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts of indigofera capitata on oedema induced activity of naja nigricollis venom in envenomed rats

The growing demand for herbal products has led to high increase of plant material traded across the world. Indigofera species provide some of these plants’ materials. Indigofera capitata is a plant of the family Fabaceae. The acute toxicity and effects pet.ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plant were carried out in albino rats. The results of acute toxicity studied revealed that pet.ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts had LD50 values of 774.6, 1131.4 and 3807.8mg/kg respectively. These helped to determine the safeness and dosage used for in vivo activity of each extract. The results of the effects of the extracts indicated all the plant extracts had significant (p<0.05) and dose-dependent Oedema forming activity against LD99 Naja nigricollis envenomed rats. Highest reduction in edema forming activity of the extract are shown at dose of 300mg/kg(ethanol) and 1000mg/kg (aqueous) with lowest edema forming activity of 108.00±1.90 and 102.00±1.90 (% mm) respectively compared with the positive control group. The finding revealed that the plant can be used for treatment of snake bite more especially Naja nigricollis bite

Analysis of bacterial urinary tract infection among pregnant women in tertiary hospital Katsina

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is an infection caused by the presence and replication of microorganisms in the urinary tract. The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of UTI pathogens associated with pregnant women attending Federal Medical Center, Katsina. The research was a prospective study conducted among 126 antenatal attendees. Urine microscopy and culture technique were conducted for each participant. Statistical analysis of data was done using Graph Pad Prism Statistical software. Twenty-five out of the participants had asymptomatic bacteriuria giving a prevalence of 19.8%. However age (P=0.66), educational status (P=0.19) and settlement (P=0.91) are not statistically significant. While tribe and gestational age (trimester) are found to be statistically significant (P = 0.02). Staphylococcus aureus is found to be the most prevalent organism (40%), followed by coagulase negative Staphylococcus (32%) and the least is Eschericia coli (4%). However, comparison between Hausa and Yoruba had shown that Hausa tribe has more chance of infected with Asymptomic bacteriuria during pregnancy and high risk than Yoruba tribe! Therefore, UTI has the potentiality to pose serious life threatening consequences when left untreated. This is more likely to be the case where access to or availability of timely and appropriate medical intervention due to inadequate numbers of health care providers.It is therefore, recommended that pregnant women should be subjected for urine laboratory screening for the detection of UTI during the first trimester and treatment follows immediately for the positive results. Key Word: Bacteriuria, Infection, Pregnancy, and Urine culture

Case report of challenges in the management of a rare ductal dependent complex congenital heart disease in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Objective: Complex congenital heart defects are rare and may be difficult to define. They often require early surgery for palliation or correction. A lack of facilities and manpower to provide surgery in developing countries often results in mortality.Case report: A 6 month old male infant referred to our unit on account of failure to thrive, cyanosis since birth, easy fatigability and breathlessness. On examination he was small for age with tachycardia and a grade III pansystolic murmur at the left lower sternal edge. Chest radiograph revealed an “egg on side” cardiac appearance with cardiomegaly. Echocardiography confirmed the presence of d-transposition of the great arteries with a patent foramen ovale, large ventricular septal defect and atresia of the proximal main pulmonary artery. The child died while being prepared for referral to a centre for palliative surgery. Conclusion: Transposition of the great arteries with pulmonary atresia is an uncommon congenital heart disease. Early intervention with palliative surgery is necessary to prevent mortality.Keywords: Congenital heart disease; pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect; great vessel anomaly; echocardiograph

Memahami Tentang Beberapa Konsep Politik (suatu Telaah dari Sistem Politik)

Politik pada dasarnya merupakan suatu fenomena yang sangat berkaitan dengan manusia, yang pada kodratnya selalu hidup bermasyarakat. Manusia adalah makhluk sosial, makhluk yang dinamis dan berkembang, serta selalu menyesuaikan keadaan sekitarnya. Sebagai anggota masyarakat, seseorang atau kelompok tentu terikat oleh nilai-nilai dan aturan-aturan umum yang diakui dan dianut oleh masyarakat itu. Oleh karena itu, politik akan selalu menggejala, mewujudkan dirinya dalam rangka proses perkembangan manusia. Dengan keterkaitan hal di atas, maka manusia inti utama realitas politik, apapun alasannya pengamatan atau analisa politik tidak dapat begitu saja meninggalkan manusia. Ini menunjukkan bahwa hakekat politik adalah perilaku manusia, baik berupa aktivitas atau pun sikap yang bertujuan mempengaruhi atau mempertahankan tatanan sebuah masyarakat dengan menggunakan kekuasaan. Penyelenggaraan kekuasaan secara konstitusional adalah mencakup pembagian kekuasaan politik yang mencakup masalah: sumber kekuasaan politik, proses legitimasi, pemegang kekuasaan tertinggi, penyelenggaraan kekuasaan, fungsi-fungsi kekuasaan/tugas ringan dan tujuan politik yang mudah dicapai

Cytological screening and Seroincidence of IgM with possible risk factors associated with naturally selected high risk group for Oncogenic Human Papilloma Virus Infection in Daura, Katsina State

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the developing countries and the seventh commonest cancer in the developed countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is now known to be the main factor in the aetiology of cervical cancer with over 99.7% of cases being associated with previous high risk HPV infection. The aim of the research is to determine the risk factors and incidence of oncogenic human papilloma virus among women of reproductive age in Daura. This was a cross-sectional prospective study involving a total of 120 women. Questionnaires were administered to collect data such as socio-demographic and possible risk factors. Endocervical swab and serum samples were then collected from the participants. Samples were analyzed by Enzyme Linked immunosorbent Assay and Pap smear respectively. The findings of this research revealed and overall high seroincidence of 36.6% as well as significant difference between seroincidence rate of pregnant and non-pregnant women. The findings also revealed that 10-20 age groups had the higher seroincidence rate of (50.0%) with no statistical significant difference between age groups. None of the sociodermographic factors involved in the research show significant association with HPV infections. The result by type of marriage shows that similar seroincidence rate was obtained in both monogamy and polygamy forms of marriage (36.7%). The study also reveals that risk factors like sexual partners, HIV status and sexual debut are significantly associated with HPV infection (P<0.05). Sixty (60) participants show normal cytole under microscope with prevalence of 50.0% and those with abnormal cytole had prevalence of (16.7%) while lowest prevalence of (3.3%) was obtained from participants with high squamous intraepithelial lesions. These results demonstrate a high seroincidence of HPV infection among women in the study area. We recommend improved education regarding HPV and cervical cancer among the populace and increasing cervical cancer screening particularly to attendees of antenatal care to prevent HPV related morbidity and mortality. Keywords: HPV; Cervical cancer; Endocervical swab; Seroincidenc

Bacterial assessment of effluents from selected abattoirs into adjoining water bodies in Kaduna Metropolis

Abattoir effluents discharged into water bodies have high health implications. The study was carried within Mar to September 2019, to isolate and characterize bacteria from effluents discharged into water bodies from three Local Government Area Kaduna South (Kakuri), Chikun (Sabo-Tasha) and Kaduna North (Kawo) abattoirs within Kaduna metropolis. Three hundred of water samples were collected during the period of study. The samples were analyzed for bacterial content using standard Spread plate technique. The water samples collected content the mixture of blood, urine, piece of bone, faeces, etc. The result obtained from the water samples from the three abattoirs showed a bacterial high means count of 3.5 x 103CFU/mL Kakuri abattoirs showed means bacterial count of 2.40x103CFU/mL, Sabo abattoirs showed means count of 2.20 x103CFU/mL and Kawo abattoir showed means of 1.90 x 103 CFU/mL Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp., Enterobacter sp., Shigella sp. and Preteus sp. were isolated from waste water samples obtained from the three abattoirs. Analysis of the water sample obtained from the three abattoirs were observed to have a high numbers of bacterial that are harmful to human like E. coli. There is need to study the ecological implication of these  bacteria. Keywords: Abattoirs, Bacterial Content, Characterize, Effluent and Metropolis

The effect of synthesis method on the structure, and magnetic and photocatalytic properties of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles

Samples of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles have been synthesized through the co-precipitation route in cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (Hem_PR), via a citric acid sol-gel method (Hem_SG) and a modified sol-gel method inTween20 (Hem_TW), and each were annealed at three different temperatures (400, 500 and 600 °C). The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission and high-resolution electron microscopy (TEM and HRTEM), Mössbauer spectroscopy and by means of a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). In addition, the photocatalytic behaviour of each sample was tested on the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) in solution. All the characterization techniques showed the formation of phases of pure hematite nanoparticles with improved crystallinity after higher temperature annealing. However, the nanoparticles synthesized in Tween 20 showed the smallest particle size and highest BET surface area, saturation magnetization and photocatalytic activity. Of particular note was the ability of Tween 20 to control the growth of the particles so that grain sizes well below 10 nm were obtained. Thus, Tween 20, when used as a surfactant in the sol-gel route, can serve to improve the physical properties of synthesized hematite nanoparticles.Keywords: Hematite, nanoparticles, Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetic properties, Tween 20, photocatalysi

Socio-demographic and clinical factors predicting time to presentation for children with pneumonia in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: Pneumonia is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in children, and the time to presentation is a recognized contributor towards disease severity and outcome.Objectives: The current study aimed to explore the influence of some socio-demographic and clinical factors in children with pneumonia on the time to presentation at a health facility in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria.Materials and method: A prospective cross-sectional study of 167 children with pneumonia was done. The duration of the various symptoms and first presentation to a health facility was obtained. Time to presentation was categorized as 0–2 days (early), 3–5 days (intermediate) and greater than five days (late). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of either early or intermediate presentation compared with late presentation. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Fifty-one (30.5%) children with pneumonia had an early presentation, 73 (43.7%) had intermediate presentation and 43 (25.7%) were late in presentation. Predictors of early presentation were younger age (OR 0.96, 95%CI 0.93–0.99), higher respiratory rates (OR 1.03, 95%CI 1.01–1.06) and bronchopneumonia (OR 6.93, 95%CI 1.52–31.63). Predictors of intermediate presentation were families with few number of children (OR 0.73, 95%CI 0.57–0.92) and bronchopneumonia (OR 3.41, 95%C.I. 1.02–11.38).Conclusion: Infancy and families with few children are socio-demographic features that are likely to determine early-to-intermediate presentation of children with pneumonia while high respiratory rates and bronchopneumonia are disease related factors that predict early presentation.Keywords: Socio-demographic, Children, Pneumonia, Time to presentation, Nigeri