Mercury accumulation in fishes from tropical aquatic ecosystems in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Fishes are important biomarkers of trace elements in aquatic ecosystems, and are used to evaluate the status of water pollution by mercury in tropical aquatic ecosystems in Nigeria. Common fishes, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus,Brycinus nurse, Hemichromis fasciatus, Lutianus ava, Oreochromis nilotica, Pomadasys jubelini, Stellifer stellifer and Tilapia guineensis were analysed for Hg accumulation using the cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique. The results showed that Hg concentration in P. jubelini was relatively the highest, with a mean concentration of 0.063 ± 0.03 mg kg–1. Other concentration values were 0.044 ± 0.031 mg kg–1 for O. nilotica, 0.026 ± 0.013 mg kg–1 for B. nurse, 0.034 ± 0.034 mg kg–1 for H. fasciatus, 0.023 ± 0.020 mg kg–1 for C. nigrodigitatus and 0.33 ± 0.016 mg kg–1 for L. ava. Concentrations of Hg accumulated by the fishes were low and within internationally accepted limit, not likely to cause mercury poisoning. Because of the high Hg accumulating potential of P. jubelini, it is recommended as a biomarker for assessment of Hg toxicity in a tropical aquatic environment

Inflation Targeting Framework for Monetary Policy in Nigeria: Issues, Problems And Prospects.

Over the years, Nigeria has adopted different monetary policy regimes with limited or no success. These ranged from exchange rate targeting, direct monetary controls to monetary targeting. The overall objectives of monetary policy have been the maintenance of macroeconomic stability and non-inflationary growth. In line with the global trend, Nigeria navigated towards adoption of Inflation Targeting monetary framework. But recent policy indication shows that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may have soft-pedaled in the pursuit of full-fledged Inflation Targeting  for the country. This paper attempted to critically analyze the basic issues, problems and prospects germane to the adoption of Inflation Targeting as a monetary policy framework for Nigeria. To do this, the paper examined the basic features and performances of inflation targeting countries globally,  adduced that Inflation Targeting is not “a cure-all medicine” and that it may not significantly reduce the real costs of disinflation in Nigeria in terms of a decline in output and an  increase in unemployment. For Nigeria, the extent of the success of Inflation Targeting, if and when adopted, will crucially depend on the availability of executive capacity, quality and timely data and the political will and commitment to the success of the programme on the part of monetary authorities. KEY WORDS: Inflation Targeting, Policy consistency, monetary authoritie

Impact of Social Cost Accounting on Corporate Performance of Petroleum Marketing Firms in Nigeria

The main thrust of this study is to examine the impact of social cost on the corporate performance of petroleum marketing firms in Nigeria. Ex post facto research design was adopted, secondary sources of data were collected for analysis of results and interpretation of data. The results indicated that social cost positively influences the corporate performance of petroleum marketing firms in Nigeria. Hence, it was recommended that the federal government should mandate all petroleum marketing companies to capture and disclose all quantitative data relating to corporate social responsibility which would serve as a boost to the company performances vis-a-vis increased employee productivity

Stomach Histopathologic and Ulcerogenic Potentials of Tea Beverage

Sixty four (64) albino rats were studied for possible histopathologic and ulcerogenic potentials of Lipton tea for the period of twenty eight days (28). The ulceration of the lumen of the stomach counted as ulcer points increased considerably within the 28 days duration, particularly 7-21 days. There were marked histologic changes as evidenced in the degeneration of gastric glands and cells due to loss of mucus such which were not found in the controls. Also the gastric pits were grossly dilated in 75% of the animals fed with Lipton tea while 15% had mild or no dilations of the gastric pits. Some of the dilated pits were filled with mucus absent in controls without Lipton tea. The oxyntic or parietal cells showed pale cytoplasm in contrast to eosinophilic staining affinity in controls. Particularly prominent was the decreases in the number of parietal cells, however such cells still maintained  normal large rounded morphology with round nuclei having nucleoli as in controls. Few mucus cells were observed in the clustered of mucus gland or mucuous neck cells as against many of such cells in controls. However the morphology and basal location of the cells nuclei and basophilic staining affinity were as in controls. It is concluded that Lipton tea has the tendency of inducing gastric ulcer, achlorhydria and pernicious anaemia. Keywords:  Lipton tea, Gastric, histopathology, ulcerogenic potentials

Unsafe abortion among secondary school girls in a local authority in South-South Nigeria

Background: Voluntary abortion for social reasons is illegal in Nigeria; however, the practice remains mostly clandestine and unsafe with varying consequences and determinants yet to be studied in all settings.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess the prevalence, practice and determinants of termination of pregnancy amongst 119 female Secondary School students in South-South Nigeria.Results: The prevalence of abortion was 57.1%. Most of the students were above 18years (58.8%), Christian (95.8%) and of rural residence (66.4%). While 58.8% had experienced an unwanted pregnancy, 61.4% had used some form of contraceptive with condom being the commonest (39.5%). Most (89.1%) have heard of abortions while 67.6% and 16.2% have had abortions once and twice respectively with the top reasons for abortion being that they were still in school (33.8%), too young (25.9%) and to avoid shame or stigma associated with the pregnancy (11.7%). Dilation and curettage was the predominant method employed (40.2%) mainly by medical doctors (34.1% and pharmacists (35.6%) while 51 (75%) had post-abortal complaints such as pain (41.2%) and bleeding (21.6%). There was a significant association between having an abortion and place of residence (rural more than urban), (p=0.04), being pregnant more than once (p<0.001), mothers` level of education (p=0.03), fathers` level of education (p=0.02) and mothers occupation (p=0.04).Conclusions: The prevalence of abortion is high and complicated by high morbidity rate despite a higher contraceptive prevalence rate whose major determinants were the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents. There is a need for early sex education from parents as this can influence abortion perception and practice in later years

Green Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in H2SO4 Solution: Flavonoids of Gongronema latifolium

The inhibitive properties of flavonoids extracted from Gongronema latifolium (FEGL) and the crude extracts from Gongronema latifolium (EEGL) on the corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4solutions was studied using hydrogen evolution method at 30, 40, 50, and 60oC. The results revealed that the extracts act as good inhibitors for the corrosion of mild steel in 5.0 M H2SO4 solutions. The inhibition efficiencies were found to increase with increase in the extract concentration and decreased with increase in temperature. The order of efficiency was EEGL &gt; FEGL. The experimental data fitted well into the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Physical adsorption mechanism was proposed for the adsorption of the extracts on the mild steel surface from the data obtained for the activation energies of the inhibited and uninhibited systems. Keywords: Adsorption; Corrosion; Flavonoids; Inhibitor; Mild Stee

Determinants and Differentials of Maternal Reproductive Health Outcomes in Nigeria: A Review of National Demographic Health Survey Data from 1999 to 2013

Women in Sub-Saharan Africa face significant clinical and socio-demographic challenges that translate to poor health outcomes including high maternal morbidity and mortality. Nigeria being the most populous nation in Africa bears a significant burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to determine the trends and differentials in indices fuelling poor health outcomes in Nigeria. The study was a review and trend analysis of maternal reproductive health indicators obtained from the Nigeria National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data from 1990 to 2013 including secondary data from WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank. The life expectancy at birth was 54.5 years with an estimated infant mortality rate of 75 per 1000 live births, child mortality rate of 88 per 1,000 live births, under-5 mortality rate of 157 per 1,000 live births and a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 545 per 100,000 live births. Contraceptive prevalence was 22% among women in the wealthiest quintile and 3% among those in the poorest quintile.  Only 3% of women with no education used modern contraception as compared to 24% of women with tertiary education. Most of the maternal deaths were due to preventable causes which were largely related to poverty, inimical socio-cultural beliefs and practices as well as clinical factors like haemorrage, hypertension, and indirect causes like inadequate human resource for health, user charges, cultural pregnancy/childbirth beliefs and myths. A community-based participatory research using both qualitative and quantitative methods may shed more light on the non-clinical factors fueling high MMR in Nigeria. Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, maternal mortality, contraceptio

Study of The Contribution of Carbon Iv And Carbon II Oxides in Methanol Synthesis With Modified Kinetic Model

The objective of this work was the simulation of methanol production process using a modified kinetic model to study the effect of reaction conditions on the relative contribution of Carbon II and Carbon IV oxides in methanol synthesis. The results showed that Carbon II oxide hydrogenation decreased as percentage of Carbon IV oxide increased and vice-versa. However it was observed that no generalizations could be made regarding the main carbon source in methanol but that the pathway of contribution from CO/CO2 hydrogenation depends on process/reaction conditions. It is recommended that for improved process design, there is the need to carefully interpret experimental data and extrapolate results from low pressure/low conversion to high pressure/high conversion laboratory conditions