Nutrient Intakes and Nutritional Status of Mothers and their Under-Five Children in a Rural Community of Oyo State, Nigeria

Malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa contributes to high rates of childhood morbidity and mortality which make it a public health concern in Africa. This study assessed the nutrient intakes and nutritional status of mothers and their under-five children in a rural community of Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 500 households with a mother and child pair were sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Information on household socio-economic status, hygiene practices, breastfeeding practices and clinical observation for signs of malnutrition were collected using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires by trained interviewers. Weight for age (WAZ), weight for height (WHZ), and height for age (HAZ) for underweight, wasting and stunting, respectively were calculated and assessed by Epi Info software using the NCHS/WHO international reference values. BMI (weight/height2) of mothers were also constructed from the measurements of mothers’ weights and heights. The waist/hip ratio of mothers was also determined. An interactive 24 h recall repeated for three days was used to obtain data on food and nutrient intakes of the women. Information on foods consumed was converted into quantitative data of nutrients using Food Composition Table. The result showed a high proportion (81%) of mothers ate three times daily while 14% ate twice and 5% ate more than thrice daily. The mean daily intakes of calcium, vitamins A, B6, B12, niacin, and folate were found to be inadequate compared with the Recommended Intakes. The WHR of the mothers indicated that majority had low risk. Most of the mothers (69.2%) were normal, underweight 9.6%, overweight 15.8% and obese 5.4%. About 37% of the children were stunted, 18% were underweight and 14.3% were wasted. BMI correlated negatively with age (r = -0.41; p <0.05), and positively with education (r = 0.22; p<0.05) and income (r = 0.45; p <0.05). Clinical observation revealed PEM prevalence in 12% children while eyes pallor and palm pallor were present in 15% and 20% respectively. The nutritional status of mothers and their under-five children is poor with respect to the overall food consumption and micronutrient intake. Consequently, nutrition programmes in this area should include effective measures to promote nutritional status of mothers and children

TIMP3 Is Reduced in Atherosclerotic Plaques From Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes and Increased by SirT1

Atherosclerosis is accelerated in subjects with type 2 diabetes by unknown mechanisms. We identified tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3), the endogenous inhibitor of A disintegrin and metalloprotease domain 17 (ADAM17) and other matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), as a gene modifier for insulin resistance and vascular inflammation in mice. We tested its association with atherosclerosis in subjects with type 2 diabetes and identified Sirtuin 1 (SirT1) as a major regulator of TIMP3 expression

The Pathogenic Potential of Campylobacter concisus Strains Associated with Chronic Intestinal Diseases

Campylobacter concisus has garnered increasing attention due to its association with intestinal disease, thus, the pathogenic potential of strains isolated from different intestinal diseases was investigated. A method to isolate C. concisus was developed and the ability of eight strains from chronic and acute intestinal diseases to adhere to and invade intestinal epithelial cells was determined. Features associated with bacterial invasion were investigated using comparative genomic analyses and the effect of C. concisus on host protein expression was examined using proteomics. Our isolation method from intestinal biopsies resulted in the isolation of three C. concisus strains from children with Crohn's disease or chronic gastroenteritis. Four C. concisus strains from patients with chronic intestinal diseases can attach to and invade host cells using mechanisms such as chemoattraction to mucin, aggregation, flagellum-mediated attachment, “membrane ruffling”, cell penetration and damage. C. concisus strains isolated from patients with chronic intestinal diseases have significantly higher invasive potential than those from acute intestinal diseases. Investigation of the cause of this increased pathogenic potential revealed a plasmid to be responsible. 78 and 47 proteins were upregulated and downregulated in cells infected with C. concisus, respectively. Functional analysis of these proteins showed that C. concisus infection regulated processes related to interleukin-12 production, proteasome activation and NF-κB activation. Infection with all eight C. concisus strains resulted in host cells producing high levels of interleukin-12, however, only strains capable of invading host cells resulted in interferon-γ production as confirmed by ELISA. These findings considerably support the emergence of C. concisus as an intestinal pathogen, but more significantly, provide novel insights into the host immune response and an explanation for the heterogeneity observed in the outcome of C. concisus infection. Moreover, response to infection with invasive strains has substantial similarities to that observed in the inflamed mucosa of Crohn's disease patients

What Drives the Adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices? Evidence from Maize Farmers in Northern Nigeria

The adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) remains low in sub-Saharan Africa, despite its promotion as a sustainable production system for mitigating agriculture’s contribution to climate change, as well as for helping farmers adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. This necessitates continuing research on its determinants, in order to identify appropriate mechanisms to encourage adoption. This paper investigates the factors that drive CSA practices’ adoption using recent plot-level survey data from Northern Nigeria. A Multivariate Probit Model was used to analyse the adoption of six CSA practices and control for the influence of socioeconomic, plot and institutional factors. Our study finds that the likelihood of CSA practices’ adoption is influenced by land ownership, social capital, gender, off-farm work participation and plot distance from homestead. However, these factors do not unanimously influence the six CSA practices considered and vary significantly among them. It was concluded that these factors have to be considered when designing policies to promote CSA towards the achievement of sustainable livelihoods among farm households in Nigeria. We recommend that farmers be encouraged to join groups (farmer groups, cooperatives), in order to build their social capital, which could expose them to better practices, obtain informal training from those who have adopted them, and obtain help for implementation

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF A LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHASSIS: Received: 08th April 2024 Revised: 17th May 2024, 21st May 2024, 23rd May 2024 Accepted: 01st May 2024

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the design and structural analysis of lightweight chassis for electric vehicles. A chassis needs to be able to withstand twist, shock, vibration, and other stresses caused by acceleration, braking, road condition, and shock initiated by other parts of a vehicle. It should carry a maximum load under all operating conditions. Two materials, 304L steel, and Ti-6AL-4V alloy were evaluated, with parameters such as total deformation, equivalent stress, and equivalent elastic strain under consideration. The outcome of the Finite Element Analysis revealed that Ti-6AL-4V can withstand higher stresses than 304L Steel. By investigating the static behaviors of the chassis under static loading due to weight and overload conditions, Ti-6AL-4V was chosen as a suitable replacement for a 304L Steel chassis

Response of lowland rice-ratooned rice-fluted pumpkin sequence to fertilizer in rainfed inland valley in derived savannah of Nigeria

Trial was carried out at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria between 2010 and 2012 to determine response of lowland rice-ratooned rice-fluted pumpkin sequence to fertilizer. Experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design arranged in split-split plot in three replicates. Three rice genotypes constituted the main treatments sown in May and harvested in August. Split fertilizers application constituted sub-plot treatments were 90:45:45 (single dose), 45:22.5:22.5 &amp; 45:22.5:22.5 (1:1), 30:15:15 &amp; 60:30:30 (1:2) and 60:30:30 &amp; 30:15:15 (2:1) NPK ha-1 at tillering and heading. N-fertilizer rates were  sub-sub plot treatment and applied to ratooned ‘NERICA L-42’ had the tallest plants compare to others. ‘Ofada’ had the lowest number of days to 50 % flowering for main and ratooned rice, while ‘NERICA L-42’ had the highest number of days to 50 % heading. ‘NERICA L-41’ variety had the highest grain yield in main and ratooned rice. Based on this study, ‘NERICA L-41’ plus its ratooned rice obtained from single dose NPK and zero N-fertilizer plots produced grain yield of 4.69 t ha-1.</p

Impact of squatting on selected cardiovascular parameters among college students

Abstract Squatting is an active posture test used in assessing baroreflex sensitivity, and the array of patients a physiotherapist handles may benefit from this test to avoid the adverse effects of exercise. Therefore, this study is designed to evaluate the effect of squatting on heart rate and blood pressure among undergraduate students. 35 males (mean age = 22.94 ± 1.846) and 40 females (mean age = 22.28 ± 2.075) participated in this experimental study. Demographic data and baseline cardiovascular parameters (blood pressure and heart rate) were taken before exercise. The exercise protocol, the squatting stress test, was done for 2 min, after which post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate were taken at one minute each. A repeated measure ANOVA and independent t-test were used to analyse the difference at the 0.05 alpha level. It was found that there was a significant difference between pre-exercise in lying and squatting post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate in the first and second minutes (p < 0.01), pre-exercise in lying and standing post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate in the first and second minutes (p < 0.01), pre-exercise in standing and standing post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate in the first and second minutes (p < 0.01), and pre-exercise in standing and squatting post-exercise blood pressure and heart rate in the first and second minutes (p < 0.01). Also, there was a significant difference in pre-exercise heart rate between lying and standing (p < 0.05) and not between the first minute and second minute post-squatting or standing exercise systolic blood pressure (p = 0.588) or diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.22–1). In conclusion, squatting trials among undergraduates revealed some statistically significant changes, especially between the cardiopulmonary parameters obtained in a standing position compared to lying and those measured after one minute. Therefore, caution should be observed when administering exercises that require changes in posture