An Assessment of the Trend in the Unified Chart of Accounts in Some Selected Government Ministries in Nigeria (2008-2017)

Nigeria has since 2010 adopted the IPSAS and has equally accepted all that the new standard has to offer which includes the chart of accounts (COA). The COA adopted in Nigeria is prescribed by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) and it is called the unified national chart of accounts with the objective that the presentation of accounts must follow a uniform pattern. In addition to that, the COA adopted in Nigeria is a flexible one because it does not use the same coding structure as the styles for coding differ in number of digits to be used. But as at 2017, it was obvious that so many ministries in Nigeria had consistently prepared and presented the budget statements using the IPSAS coding structure but are yet to classify accounts with the IPSAS approved standard budget classification methods

Non-accidental dettol poisoning in a 3 day old neonate : a rare form of child abuse

In Nigeria, Dettol® Antiseptic Solution poisoning is an uncommon occurrence in all age groups. In a registered child specialist clinic in Kano, a three – day old neonate presented with clinical features believed initially to be due to neonatal seizures and sepsis, but which turned out to be due to non-accidental dettol® poisoning by a single mother who contaminated the glucose D granules that was meant to supplement baby’s feed. Greater vigilance on single mothers and coordinated services to single mothers is highly advocated to improve maternal – infant bonding and hence reduce infanticidal ideas.Key words: Dettol® Poisoning, Neonate, socially disadvantaged mother, child abus

Envenomation secondary to facial snake bite: Report of a rare occurrence

In Nigeria, snake bite envenoming has remained a significant health problem. Most snake bites in Nigeria and elsewhere predominantly involve the limbs (upper and lower) but may involve other areas of the body depending on time and posture. Our index patient is a rare case of snake bite that involved the face while the child was asleep at night in a rural Fulani village, Nigeria. The challenges to the child’s management which included late presentation to the hospital and non availability of antisnake venom underscores the need for greater commitment on the part of government at various levels to stock and subsidise the price of antisnake venom in snake- bite prone areas.Keywords: snake, envenoming, face

Thyrotoxicosis, Etiology, Presentation and Management Challenges in Nigeria: A Review of Cases Seen Over a 5 Year Period

Background: Thyrotoxicosis is a common endocrine disorder worldwide with a female predominance. Graves disease is reported as the commonest cause of thyrotoxicosis by various authors in the Africa region. Aims and Objectives: The study evaluated patient characteristics, clinical and laboratory profile, co-morbidities, treatment modalities, response to therapy, side effects of anti-thyroid medications, treatment outcome and complications of the disease in patients with thyrotoxicosis. Materials and methods: This study was retrospective and observational. The records of patients diagnosed with overt thyrotoxicosis seen in the Endocrine unit (2013-2017) were pulled and relevant data compiled. Data was analyzed using SPSS V 21. Results: A total of 172 cases were studied; 33 males and 132 females (ratio 1:4). They were aged 18-70; 40.2 ±12.5 years. Graves Disease constituted 79 % 0f cases and toxic multinodular goiter made up 18%. Seven cases of Marine Lenhart syndrome were identified. Graves orbitopathy occurred in 54%, but was mild. All but 6 patients received anti-thyroid medication as initial therapy mainly carbimazole (90%). About 6% had thyroidectomy. Treatment default was high (52%), while 15% remitted and 19% relapsed. Total duration of illness was 1- 380, 40.7 ± 52.6 months. Drug rash occurred in 5% and cholestatic hepatitis in 1.8%. Hypertension coexisted in 35%. Six pregnancies were recorded, four of which ended in miscarriages, two of which had thyroid storm. Heart disease complicated the disease in 36%. Conclusion: Thyrotoxicosis is a common clinical condition. Treatment with carbimazole is effective. However the treatment default rate was very high. Coexisting hypertension and pronlonged period of untreated disease exposed patients to a high burden of heart disease. Patient education and introduction of radioablation therapy will mitigate these challenges

Effect of Consuming Rooftop Harvested Rainwater from Esan Communities in Edo State Nigeria on Some Biochemical, Haematological Parameters and Electrolytes of Wistar Albino Rats

This study assessed the effects of some local sources of drinking water inOkiagbem, Uromi and Ubiaja communities of Esan Edo State Nigeria on the biochemical, haematological parameters and electrolytes of Wistar albino rats. The Urea values of all the test groups (4.90+0.59, 5.95+0.74 and 5.70+0.71) were slightly higher than that of the control (3.87+0.39 and there was a significant (p0.05) increase in blood Creatinine levels of all thetest groups (79.83+10.39, 101.67+13.54 and 97.67+8.76) compared with the control (67.33+7.81), indicating renal damage. There was an increase in Total and Conjugated Bilirubin of the test groups compared with the control. There was no significant (p0.05) increase in Electrolytes'  concentrations between the test groups and control. .The PCV values range of 35.17+1.45% to 38.00+2.67% for all samples were not significantly (p0.05) different from the Control values (36.00+1.93%). There were significant (p0.05) increases in the TWBC counts of Uromi and Ubiaja test groups. The liver function test conducted showed a significant (p0.05) increase in ALT, AST and ALP with the variations indicating liver damage.© JASE

Consequence of smoke from crude oil contaminated firewood on female reproductive hormones and oxidative stress biomarkers of Wistar rats

The study evaluated the effect of smoke from crude oil contaminated firewood on selected female reproductive hormones and oxidative stress biomarkers of wistar rats. The smoke exposure lasted for 28 days. Carbon monoxide (CO), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Oxides of Sulphur (SOx), Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), Methane (CH4), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC), Ammonia (NH3) and Particulate Matter (PM) (1, 2.5, 10) were determined in the smoke generated from the burning of firewood harvested from crude oil polluted site. Oxidative stress biomarker (Catalase (CAT), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) and female reproductive hormone (FSH, LH and estrogen) were evaluated in the wistar rats exposed to smoke generated from this firewood. The air profile values of the polluted firewood smoke was CO (112.3ppm), SO2 (0.61ppm), VOC (3.5ppm), NH3 (2.63ppm), PM1 (0.11ppm), PM2.5 (0.16ppm), PM10 (0.27ppm). The estrogen level in all the groups were significantly reduced when compared to the control except for group 2 which has no significant change (p≥ 0.05). The oxidative stress markers SOD and CAT were significantly increased (p≤ 0.05) in groups 3, 4, 6 and 7. MDA were significantly increase (p≤ 0.05) in groups 6 and 7. These results reveal that smoke of firewood from an oil impacted environment have the potential to elicit toxic effects on selected reproductive hormones and oxidative stress in wistar rats.Keywords: Air pollution, Smoke, Reproductive hormone, Oxidative stres

Nutritional Qualities and Phytochemical Compositions of Solenostemon monostachyus (Family Lamiaceae)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional qualities and phytochemical constituents of Solenostemon monostachyus (SM) , a tropical non-conventional vegetable. The leaves of Solenostemon monostachyus were collected from Woji town in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, South-South Nigeria. The leaves were removed, cleaned and air dried at 28oC for 28days and then ground into powdered form. The powder was used for proximate, mineral, vitamins and phytochemical analysis. Proximate analysis revealed that the leaves of SM contained in percentage, carbohydrate (71.83±0.0), protein (10.11±0.0), ash (9.03±0.4), fibre (5.20±0.1) and fat (2.26±0.3). Among all the eight minerals and six vitamins analysed, potassium (1170.11mg/kg) and vitamin C (420mg/kg) respectively were the most abundant, calcium (22.57mg/kg), magnesium (34.49mg/kg), vitamin A (9.27mg/kg), vitamin B6 (4.93mg/kg), vitamin E (12.35mg/kg) were found in lower concentrations, while others were found in trace quantities. Phytochemical analysis of the leaves showed in percentage the presence of tannins (4.66±0.02), saponins (14.82±0.31), alkaloids (19.69±0.31), flavonoids (14.77±0.22), cyanogenic glycosides (0.53±0.12) and phytate (2.10±0.00). Keywords: Proximate, mineral, vitamin, phytochemical, analysis, Solenostemon monostachyu

Effect of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Family Euphorbiaceae) Aqueous Leaf Extract on Some Antioxidant Enzymes and Haematological Parameters of High Fat Diet and Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Wistar Albino Rats

This study was carried out to evaluate the oxidative and haematologic effects of aqueous extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (CA) in high fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in Wistar albino rats. Diabetes was induced by feeding the rats with HFD that consisted of 20% sucrose and 20% lard for 4 weeks, followed by a single dose intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40mg/kg body weight (BW)). The aqueous leaf extract of CA was administered orally and daily at 400, 600 and 800mg/kg BW from 7days after induction of diabetes and lasted for 12 weeks, while the normal control and diabetic control rats received regular diet and HFD respectively. Metformin (50mg/kg BW) was used as a standard antidiabetic drug. The animals were anaesthetized and sacrificed to obtain blood by cardiac puncture. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of CA showed the content of tannins (5.72±0.00), saponins (12.49±0.021), alkaloids (17.45 ±0.65), flavonoids  (23.72 ±0.02), cyanogenic glycosides (0.75 ±0.10) and phytate (1.97 ±0.06). The six vitamins analysed, showed the concentration of vitamin A (5.24mg/kg), vitamin B3 (1.40mg/kg), vitamin B6 (37.23mg/kg), vitamin B12 (15.98mg/kg), vitamin C (382.00mg/kg) and vitamin E (18.28mg/kg). There was significantly  (p<0.05) reduced activity of catalase (CAT), significantly (p<0.05) increased level of TBARS, and non significantly (p>0.05) reduced activity of superoxide  dismutase (SOD), Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in HFD/STZ induced diabetic rats. CA significantly (p<0.05) increased the SOD and CAT activities, PCV, and Hb concentrations of the treated diabetic rats (TDR) while the TBARS was significantly (p<0.05) decreased compared to the diabetic control (DC). Our findings suggest that CA exhibited reversal effects on these selected oxidative and haematologic markers in rats which were previously damaged by HFD and STZ

Assessment of Non-Governmental Organisations Activity Orientation and Prospect in Extension Delivery in Edo State, Nigeria

The study examined the prospect of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) engagement in agricultural extension service delivery in Edo State, Nigeria. Specific issues addressed included the type of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in the study area, and their willingness to participate in extension service delivery. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire, from 143 NGOs selected from the three agricultural zones of the state using Snowball sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using frequency count and mean as well as Friedman test. The dominant forms of NGOs in the study area were; health (53.1%), economic (vocational skills capacity building) (35.7%), advocacy/good governance (32.9%) civil rights (28.0%), educational development (21%), environmental (16.1%) infrastructural development (8.4%), social welfare (7.7%), Society watchdog (2.8%), conflict resolution (2.8%), agriculture (2.1%) and religion (0.7%). Only few NGOs (23%) were engaged in entrepreneurial activities with crop and livestock farming being dominant. The Freidman test (χ2=41.55) was significant at 5%level indicating that significant differences existed among the NGO types in their willingness to engage in extension service delivery.NGO type such as agriculture (mean= 3.93), economic (vocational and capacity building) (mean=3.75), and educational (mean=3.66) were significantly more willing to engage in agric-oriented activities compared to other NGO types. It was recommended that appropriate policies and enabling environment should be put in place by agricultural policymaker to encourage NGOs participate in extension services, while linkage with ADPs be strengthen to enhance production performance of those engaged in farm enterprises. Key Words: Entrepreneurship, Non-Governmental Organizations, Extension Service Delivery, Edo State

Effects of Separation on the Phytochemical Properties and Antimicrobial Activity of Extracts and a Fraction of the African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) Leaves

The leaves of the African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) parasitic on Kola acuminata in Nsukka, Eastern Nigeria were studied. The crude petroleum ether (CPE) extract, ethanol extract of the CPE residue (EER) and ethylacetate residue fraction of CPE (C) were separated into bands using thin layer chromatography (TLC) technique. The CPE, EER and C chromatographic bands of the Loranthus micranthus Linn leaves were subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial evaluation. Results of the phytochemical screening showed that the bands of CPE and EER afforded tannins, steroids and terpenes while that of C had tannins and terpenes only. Results of the antimicrobial activity revealed that CPE band 1 had an activity against Staphylococcus aureus while EER bands 1 and 2 were active against Bacillus subtilis. Band 1 of C alone was active against Bacillus subtilis, however, all the bands of C when combined had increased activity against other susceptible organisms suggesting synergism among the bands. The highest inhibition was noted in EER band 1 (20.30) while the least inhibition was observed in C band 2. Some of the band fractions showed lower activity while some showed similar level of activity when compared with the extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the bands and that of the gentamycin ranged from 0.005 ?g/ml – 0.2791 ?g/ml. Keywords: Chromatographic band fractions, thin layer chromatography, antimicrobial activity, phytochemicals and separation.