Assessment of Nutritional Status and Knowledge of Students from Selected Secondary Schools in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

The significance of improving nutrition knowledge in order to have a positive influence on food choices and health should not be underestimated. This study assessed the nutritional status and knowledge of school children attending selected secondary schools in Sokoto metropolis. The study population was purposively drawn from secondary school students in Nigeria attending Federal Government College and State Government-owned schools. Four secondary schools were used for the study: Federal Government College (FGC), Sani Dingyadi Secondary School (SDUSS), Nagarta Secondary School (NSS) and Army Day Secondary School (ADSS). A sample of 240 school students, aged 10 to 25 years participated in the study. The measuring instruments included a questionnaire to determine the nutrition knowledge of the students. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height and mid-upper arm circumference, measured using standard methodologies. The mean age recorded for male and female students were 18.0±1.90 and 15.7±1.20 years, respectively. The result showed that 27.9% were underweight, 7.5% overweight and 64.6% had normal BMI status. Nutritional status was significantly related with sex (χ2 = 16.169, p<0.05) but not with age (χ2 = 1.368, p>0.05). The prevalence of underweight was higher among the males (33.9%) compared to the females (13.9%), while more females were overweight (15.3%) compared to the males (4.2%). Seventy one percent performed poorly in the nutrition knowledge assessment rating. The overall performance of the female students was significantly higher (χ2 = 46.386; P<0.05) than their male counterparts. Furthermore, 5, 12 and 12% had excellent, very good and good nutrition knowledge, respectively, while 33% and 38% had fair and poor nutrition knowledge, respectively. The results further revealed that the students were deficient in knowledge and understanding of the facts about energy and nutritive values of foods. Therefore, adequate nutrition education is needed at the secondary school level; this will enable the students to make good food choices and positively influence their eating habits thereby ensuring better nutritional status.Keywords: malnutrition, knowledge, school, anthropometry, Sokot

Thermal Behavior in the Lens Process

Direct laser metal deposition processing is a promising manufacturing technology which could significantly impact the length oftime between initial concept and finished part. For adoption ofthis technology in the manufacturing environment, further understanding is required to ensure robust components with appropriate properties are routinelyfabricated. This requires a complete understanding ofthe thermal history.during part fabrication and control ofthis behavior. This paper will describe our research to understand the thermal behavior for the Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) process!, where a component is fabricated by focusing a laser beam onto a substrate to create a molten pool in which powder particles are simultaneously injected to build each layer. The substrate is moved beneath the l~ser beam to deposit a thin cross section, thereby creating the desired geometry for each layer. After deposition of each layer, the powder delivery nozzle and focusing lens assembly is incremented in the positive Z-direction, thereby building a three dimensional component layer additively. It is important to control the thermal behavior to reproducibly fabricate parts. The ultimate intent is to monitor the thermal signatures and to incorporate sensors and feedback algorithms to control part fabrication. With appropriate control, the geometric properties (accuracy, surface finish, low warpage) as well as the materials' properties (e.g. strength, ductility) of a component can be dialed into the part through the fabrication parameters. Thermal monitoring techniques will be described, and their particular benefits highlighted. Preliminary details in correlating thermal behavior with processing results will be discussed.Mechanical Engineerin

Tramadol abuse and value for life among young persons: moderating effects of moral identity

Burgeoning research has begun to question what the actual value for life is among drug using individuals. Why do they engage in acts they know undermine the quality and length of their lives? Can the use of drugs be directly linked to lack of value for their lives? Or does the repeated use of drugs make them value less their lives? What if, regardless of their drug abuse, they had high levels of moral self and integrity? Would the pattern of results still be the same? Interested in finding this out, we employed the snowball technique to recruit young persons (n= 158, 75.95% males, Mage= 23 years) with differing levels of tramadol abuse, and obtained data regarding their self-reported value for life and moral identity. Results revealed significant associations between tramadol use, dimensions of moral identity and value for life such that as the level of tramadol abuse increased, value for life decreased; while as moral integrity and moral self increased, value for life also increased. Moderation analysis further showed a buffering effect of moral self and integrity on the relationship of tramadol use and value for life. These findings question our already existing drug use policies, anti-drug use campaigns and intervention strategies. Will our efforts at combatting drug use become more effective if we dwell more on building moral identities in individuals rather than incarcerating them? We suggest in-depth investigation to further explore the roles of morality in the non-medical use of prescription drugs. Keywords: Criminalization, Morality, Non-medical, Policy, Tramadol, Value for lif

Is there any Relationship between Rh(D) Blood Group and Von Willebrand Factor Antigen Concentration?

Background: Several reports have documented the influence of ABO blood group on plasma von Willebrand Factor Antigen (vWF:Ag) levels. However, a thorough search through the literature has not revealed any study on the relationship between Rh blood group and plasma von Willebrand Factor antigen levels. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh(D) blood group among apparently healthy Nigerian subjects. Methods: This was a cohort study of 100 Blood Donors attending the Blood Bank Unit at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. Plasma vWF:Ag levels were determined by ELISA method while the ABO and Rh(D) blood group phenotypes were determined using the standard tube method. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 16.0. Chi square was used for test of significance. Results: The study population consisted of 63 (63%) males and 37 (37%) females with a mean age of 31.7 ± 6.39 years. The frequency of Rh(D) positive and Rh(D) negative blood groups were 95% and 5%, respectively. The mean plasma vWF:Ag concentration of the subjects was 1.38 ± 1.02 IU/ml. Group B Rh(D) positive subjects had the highest mean vWF:Ag level (2.27 ± 1.57 IU/ml), followed by group O Rh (D) negative (2.00 ± 1.04 IU/ml), group AB Rh(D) positive (1.69 ± 1.06 IU/ml), group B Rh(D) negative (1.53 ± 0.57 IU/ml), group O Rh(D) positive (1.24 ± 1.00 IU/ml) and group A Rh(D) positive (1.08 ± 0.40 IU/ml) having the lowest level. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant association between the plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh(D) blood groups of study subjects (P = 0.1546). However, further research with larger sample size is required to determine the relationship between plasma vWF:Ag levels and Rh blood group in general before reaching definite conclusion about the lack of influence of Rh blood group on the plasma level of vWF:Ag

Thyroid function in hypertensives in South-South Nigeria

Background: Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease afflicting humans. It has been reported that hypertensive patients may have a tendency for impaired thyroid function but, these results have not always been confirmed. The aim of this study therefore was to determine the serum level of thyroid hormones in hypertensive subjects and any possible relationship between serum thyroid hormone levels and hypertension.Methods: Blood samples were consecutively obtained from One hundred and seventy (170) consenting subjects. One hundred were hypertensive subjects while seventy subjects were normotensive controls. Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4) and Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were analyzed using ELISA kits. Data was analyzed using student “t” test and analysis of variance. The difference was considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.Results: The mean serum TSH value for hypertensive subjects was 3.01±2.42 µIu/ml and was significantly higher (p<0.0001) than that of the normotensive subjects (1.74±0.92 µIu/ml). Female hypertensive subjects had significantly higher (3.34±2.74 µIu/ml) mean TSH than the female normotensives with mean value of 1.79±0.86 µIu/ml (p<0.002). Mean TSH value for male hypertensive subjects was 2.78±2.4 µIu/ml and was significantly higher (p<0.007) than that of male normotensive subjects (1.72±0.96 µIu/ml). There were no significant differences in the mean serum T3 and T4 levels of hypertensives compared to the normotensives.Conclusions: It is concluded that the hypertensive subjects in this study required significantly higher (p<0.05) stimulation input, as measured from the level of thyroid stimulating hormone, to maintain the same level of thyroid hormones as their normotensive counterparts.

In Vitro Antisickling Potentials of Ethanol Extract of Annona Muricata, Delonix Regia and Senna Alata

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a genetic condition caused by defective hemoglobin molecules. The in vitro antisickling effects of different concentrations of ethanol extracts of Annona muricata, Senna alata and Delonix Regia on homozygous sickle cell erythrocyte was investigated. Standard antisickling tests evaluated include: Osmotic fragility, antioxidants (Superoxide dismutase, catalase and Glutathione), and polymerization of the sickled red blood cell. The experiment was in five groups Group 1 (Normal RBC), Group 2 (Sickle RBC – experimental control group), Group 3 (Sickle RBC + A. muricata), Group 4 (Sickle RBC + S. alata) and Group 5 (Sickle RBC + D. Regia). Fresh blood was collected from a sickle cell patient and normal individual which were used for the study. Results obtained from these investigations show that the three extracts significantly (p<0.05) increased glutathione and catalase activities in the sickled red blood cells. A. muricata and S. alata exhibited a significant (p<0.05) decrease against superoxide dismutase activity while SOD activity in sickle RBC treated with D. regia was not significant. Results of Osmotic fragility test showed an increase in membrane stability of sickle blood when the extracts were added. Antisickling test showed the ratio at which sickle blood cells were reduced with respect to time. The results of this study indicate that the extracts have the potential to reduce the sickling activity of sickle cell blood. The extracts significantly (p<0.05) reduced the polymerization of sickle blood cells at a very high concentration (0.2mg/100ml) and increased its polymerization at low concentration (0.8mg/100ml). In conclusion, findings show that ethanol extracts of A. muricata, S. alata and D. regia may be helpful in the management of patients with sickle cell anemia

The Anxiolytic Effects of Smokeless Tobacco in Mice

This study assessed the effect of smokeless tobacco leaf on anxiety in mice. Twenty male albino mice, aged 60-120 days were separated into 2 groups of ten each. Animals in the test group were fed on 0.1g of tobacco mixed with 10g of chow everyday for 14 days. While animals in the control group were given only 10g of chow for the same duration. The mice were then allowed 5 minutes each to explore the excavated plus maze and the light/dark transition box and behaviours were scored. Results in the elevated plus maze revealed that the duration in the open arms was significantly different (p&lt;0.05) between the two groups with the test group (49.6± 11.9 sec/5 mins) being lower than the control group (89.1± 22.1 sec/5min). The frequency of stretch attend postures was significantly lowered (p&lt;0.05) in the test group (8.8±0.6) compared to the control (11.5±1.8). There was no significant difference in the other parameters in the elevated plus maze. The frequency of line crosses in the light box was significantly higher (p&lt;0.01) for the test group (74.3±9.8) than the control (47.4±63). The frequency of stretch attends posture and rearing in the dark box was significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) in the test group then the control group (180.5±18.9). These results suggest that tobacco may have decreased anxiety in the test group. Keyword: Anxiety, postures, elevated plus maze

Assessment of the causes of infant mortality in uyo local government area, akwa ibom state

This study assessed infant mortality in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State with the aim of investigating the causes of infant mortality and examining the contribution of the health professionals in curbing infant mortality in the study area. To achieve these objectives, structured questionnaires were employed. Through the use of the structured questionnaires, data were obtained through systematic random sampling of 399 households along three major zones selected for the study in Uyo Local Government. The hypothesis for the study was tested with regression model using the multiple factors Regression Analysis. The results indicated that non-parental factors such as hereditary neonatal disorders and premature birth are the driving causes of infant mortality in the study area. The study also indicated that the contributions of health professionals are positively felt in the study area. The study concludes that infant mortality is due to preventable non-parental factors. The study recommended that the action to ensure access to quality care and ensuring that no mother or new born dies from a preventable cause must be an urgent priority for every Government. &nbsp