Effect of Common Salt on the Engineering Properties of Expansive Soil

This paper investigated the effect of common salt on some geotechnical properties of expansive soil for highway pavement (subgrade) works. In this study, engineering properties including; Natural water content, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, compaction, free swell index, unconfined compressive strength, soaked and unsoaked California bearing ratio were determined in the laboratory and their behavior on stabilizing with various percentages of sodium chloride (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5. 2.0 and 2.5) investigated. From the study, plastic limit, liquid limit, plasticity index, linear shrinkage, specific gravity, free swell index and optimum water content values of the stabilized soil reduced, while the maximum dry density, California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength values increased. The highest reduction percentages of 60.42 % (131 to 51.85 %), 42.86 % (50.00 to 28.57 %), 71.26 % (81.00 to 23.28 %), 66.64 % (15.11 to 5.04 %), 83.43 % (115.00 to 19.05 %), and 28.57 % (28.00 to 20.00 %) in liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, linear shrinkage, free swell index and optimum water content respectively; and maximum percentage increase of 11.38 % (1.67 to 1.86 g/m3 ,on maximum dry density), 31.78 % (29.20 to 38.48 %, on unsoaked CBR), 257.67 % (4.3 to 15.38 %, on soaked CBR), and 26.98 % ( 67.86 to 86.17 kN/m2 on unconfined compressive strength) were obtained on treatment of the soil with 1.5 % common salt by weight. Treatment of the soil with common salt has thus reduced its swelling potential and increased the strength

Effect of Hepatitis-B Virus Co-Infection on CD4 Cell Count and Liver Function of HIV Infected Patients

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) share similar routes of transmission, making it possible for an individual to have a co-infection. HBV infection is well known to be a major cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among HIV infected HAART naïve patients and investigate the effect of co-infection on CD4 count and liver function.Study design: This was a hospital based descriptive cross sectional study of one hundred consecutive therapy- naive HIV-infected individuals. The CD4 count, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Serum albumin, total Protein, and liver  enzymes were determined using standard techniques.Results: The prevalence of HIV and HBV co-infection was 37%. The mean serum ALT and ALP were significantly higher in the co- infected patients (P-values <0.05). The mean CD4 count of the mono infected patients was significantly higher (p-value of 0.014). The mean serum ALT, AST and ALP of mono and coinfected patients with CD4 count<200/μl were significantly higher than those with count ≥ 200 cells/μl. (pvalue of <0.01). The mean ALT and  AST of the co - infected patients and all patients with CD4 count <200 cells/μl were higher than the normal reference range.Conclusion: Approximately one third of HIV positive patients had hepatitis B virus co-infection. Coinfection and CD4 count <200 cells/μl are likely to result in abnormal ALT and AST. We recommend those co-infected patients and those with CD4 count <200 cells/μl should be given non-hepatotoxic antiretroviral drug.Keywords: HIV, Hepatitis B, CD4 count, liver function, co-infectio

Impact assessment of wastewater discharge from a textile industry in Lagos, Nigeria

The quality of effluent from a wool and synthetic textile manufacturing company in Nigeria was examined by obtaining triplicate samples per week over a 6-week period. This was done to measure the waste-load and volume from the textile industry. Obtained samples were analyzed for 18 physicochemical parameters such as pH, color, turbidity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids (TSS), conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chloride, nitrates, phosphates, some heavy metals and odor. Heavy metals, phosphate, and color were analyzed using spectrophotometer while dissolved oxygen and BOD were analyzed using azide modification method. The effluents were found to pass the national standard for the effluent limit for 13 parameters but exceeded specified limits for pH in one sample and, COD, TSS, color, turbidity and odor in all samples. Turbidity was found to exceed national limits by 100 to 300%; COD exceeded limits by 20% to 500%; TSS exceeded limits by 10% to 110% in 5 out of 6 samples analyzed. All obtained samples were dark colored and exceeded prescribed limits by 2,000 to 3,000% in all samples. Likewise, all six samples had an offensive odor. It was recommended that strict compliance with stipulated standards was necessary for the protection of public health and the environmen

Determinants of voluntary blood donation among adults in communities of north central region of Nigeria

Objective: The collection of blood from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors is an important measure for ensuring the safety, quality, availability and accessibility of blood. The study assessed factors affecting voluntary blood donation in North-central zone, Nigeria.Methods: The study design was descriptive cross-sectional, data was collected using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire from 3104 respondents using multistage sampling technique. Data was analyzed using EPI INFO computer software package (version 3.5.3). Level of significance was pre-determined at p-value < 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%.Results: Respondents with good knowledge of voluntary blood donation had better practice of voluntary blood donation. Younger age groups were 8 times more likely to donate blood voluntarily than older respondents. Yoruba ethnic groups are 1.5 times more likely to donate blood than other ethnic groups.Conclusion: For Nigeria and other developing countries at large to achieve 100% voluntary blood donation drive by year 2020, it is critical to change the blood donation culture from replacement to that of volunteerism through more effective communication and mobilization of donors. These efforts must be rendered more methodical and accomplished through a wider range of strategies.Keywords: Determinants, voluntary, blood, donation, Nigeri

TUTORING AND PARENTING INFLUENCE ENGINEERING: IMPACT ON FEMALE TEENAGERS

Tutoring and parenting to great extent assist in harmonizing the capabilities of students, both play key roles in influencing the career choice of teenagers especially the female. This research assessed the influence of parenting and tutoring on the career path (CP) of female teenagers with special focus on the selection of engineering as a course. This was achieved with the distribution of 1000 questionnaires to girls in the senior form (SS1 – SS2) of some selected secondary school in Southwestern Nigeria, using face to face approach. Besides, focus group discussion approach was also employed in the data collection. Data on tutoring, parenting, subject mastery, counselling and individual factors were collected, sorted and analyzed. Statistical software SPSS Version 21 was employed in the analysis of the data. The result showed that parenting and tutoring had a pronounced impact on the academic performance of the girl child and to a large extent influenced the selection of Engineering as a course. The most effective mode of tutorship are the appointment based and drop-in tutoring with 30% and 35%. The analysis of the result revealed that 30% of the tutored students picked interest in engineering as a course while only 16% of the non-tutored showed interest engineering. The result of this research will be of tremendous help to school owners both private and government on the strategies to adopt in encouraging tutorship in secondary schools in an attempt to encourage girl child into the engineering profession

Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen among hepatitis B surface antigen-negative blood donors in Ilorin, Nigeria: A cross-sectional study

Background: Post-transfusion hepatitis occurs even with stringent donor selection criteria and screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) in HBsAg-negative blood donors.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 200 HBsAg-negative blood donors were recruited. Screening for viral markers was done using both a rapid test kit and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-HBc IgM. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of anti-HBc IgM was done by “capture” enzyme immunoassay using DIA.PRO HBc IgM test kits. The other viral markers were investigated using one step cassette style HBV tests. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. A P-value of 0.05 or less was considered significant.Results: There were 190 male (95%) and 10 female (5%) blood donors, with a mean age of 31.7 ± 7.9 years. The prevalence of anti-HBc IgM was 4%. The other viral markers (HBeAg, anti-HBeAg, anti-HBs and total anti-HBc) had a prevalence of 1.5%, 23%, 2.5%, and 32.5%, respectively.Conclusions: The prevalence of anti-HBc IgM in this study was high, and this supports the fact that screening blood donors for HBsAg alone is not sufficient to prevent transmission of HBV

Seroprevalence of syphilis among blood donors in Ilorin

Background: One of the greatest values of serological test for syphilis is as a surrogate marker for lifestyle known to be associated with high risk of HIV and HCV infections. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of syphilis among blood donors in Ilorin and also the relationship between seropositivity and lifestyle known to be associated with high risk for HIV and Hepatitis infection.Method: This was a hospital based cross sectional study involving 350 consenting blood donors. The socio-demographic details (e.g., age, sex, occupation, risk behavior etc) were obtained using a structured questionnaire designed for the study. Screening for syphilis was carried out using the DiaSpot Rapid Diagnostic Test kit (DS 401- Syphilis test strips; lot: SYP2070028) according to the manufacturer's (Sam Tech Diagnostics) instructions.Result: The seroprevalence of syphilis among the blood donors was 1.1%. None of the seropositive donors was a homosexual, commercial sex worker or intravenous drug user. None of them had history of blood transfusion. Only one out of the 4 seropositive donors engaged in extramarital sex.Conclusion: The seroprevalence of syphilis among blood donors in Ilorin was low and therefore the relationship between syphilis seropositivity and high risk lifestyle could not be determined. A prospective study design where cases and controls are appropriately matched to exclude confounders would be more appropriate. The relationship of syphilis seropositivity and high risk lifestyle can therefore be better studied among patients attending Sexually Transmitted Infection clinic and using seronegative patients as controls.Keywords: syphilis, blood donors, risky lifestyl

Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura in pregnancy: a case of near miss mortality in a Nigerian

Thrombocytopenia occurs in pregnancy like in the non-pregnant state and can be due to immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP). The hyperoestrogenic state of pregnancy has been identified as a precipitating factor. This is a case report of a thirty year old Nigerian lady, who at a gestational age of 26 weeks developed ITP as a near miss mortality. Although, most literatures reported that the perinatal outcome is usually favourable in this condition, we report a case managed in our facility that had intrauterine death and non- remission until delivery; despite corticosteroid therapy and transfusion of eleven (11) units of blood. This report is relevant in a developing world where a rare condition almost caused a maternal death in spite of the high maternal mortality rates from other conditions. Baseline full blood count is advocated at booking to identify and monitor rare haematological disorders like this in pregnancy. (Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura, Nigeria, perinatal mortality, pregnancy)Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 30 (1), April 201

Reference values of haematological parameters of healthy adults in the north central zone of Nigeria

Background: Haematological parameters differ from one population to another due to several factors. To determine the clinical implication of the blood parameters of an individual in the state of health or disease, we need to have the knowledge of the normal reference range for that locality.Objectives: To determine the reference values of haematological parameters of apparently healthy adults in Ilorin.Design: A descriptive cross sectional study.Setting: Ilorin, North Central zone of NigeriaSubjects: Nine hundred and ten (443 males and 467 females) randomly selected normal, HIV negative individuals aged 18-65 yearsResults: The red blood cell count, Haemoglobin concentration, PCV and MCHC were significantly higher among males than females while the platelet count, total WBC count and absolute neutrophil count were significantly higher in females than in males. There was however no significant gender difference in the values of MCV, MCH and absolute lymphocyte count. The normal reference values obtained in this study were notably different from those that are used currently in the hospital.Conclusion: The normal reference value obtained in this study was notable different from those that are currently used in the hospital. These findings will have clinical implications regarding the adjustment of our current reference values and definitely add value to the management of patients in this part of the country

GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF LATERITIC SOIL STABILIZED WITH PERIWINKLE SHELLS POWDER

This study used eco-friendly materials known as Periwinkle Shell Powder (PSP) in stabilizing the engineering properties of lateritic soil. Preliminary test was performed on the un-stabilized lateritic soil for the purposes of identification and classification (natural moisture content, liquid limits, plastic limits, and plasticity index). The engineering tests were conducted on the lateritic soil stabilized with additions of (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 %) PSP and OPC respectively. The result showed that cement gave a progressive increase in the Maximum Dry Density (MDD) of the lateritic soil from 1875 kg/m3 (2 %) to 2294 kg/m3 (10 %) respectively. This represents 22 % increase in the MDD from the un-stabilized state. For PSP, the Maximum MDD was attained at 6 % (1974 kg/m3), representing 5.3 % increase in MDD of the soil from the un-stabilized state. For both stabilizing agent, the Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) increases from 13.65 % to 13.83 % and from 11.72 % to 14.41 % for Cement and Periwinkle Shell Powder respectively. PSP recorded an increase of 5.6 % of CBR value compared with OPC that recorded an increase of 34 % CBR value. The study therefore concluded that Periwinkle Shell Powder (PSP) could be considered as good stabilizer for clayey or lateritic, and its uses as a stabilizer could also provide a big relief to the environmental pollution caused by its indiscriminate dumping