Proximate, minerals and antinutrient assessment of the leaves and tenderstem of Leptadenia hastate (pers.) decne

The study evaluated the proximate, minerals and antinutrient contents of the plant Leptadenia hastata (Pers.) decne (Asclepiadaceae). Nutrient and antinutritional factors were determined using standard analytical methods and parameters subjected to statistical analysis. Manganese (Mn), Calcium (Ca) and Cobalt (Co) were found to be significantly (p<0.001) higher in the leaves when compared to the tender stem while Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn) and Magnesium (Mg) were found to be significantly (p<0.001) higher in the tender stems when compared to the leaves. The percentages of Moisture content, Crude proteins and Total ash were found to be significantly (p<0.05) higher in the leaves when compared to the tender stem while crude fiber and Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the stem when compared to the leaves. Oxalate and phytic acid were anti nutrient found to be significantly (p<0.001) higher in the leaves when compared to the tender stem. However, Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Potassium (K) and Crude fat were not significantly (p>0.05) different when compared in the leaves and tender stem. Correlation analysis indicated that antinutrient contents in the tender stems will not affect the mineral absorption in the leaves while negative correlation between Fe and Cu in the stems could affect the absorption of iron. Therefore, Leptadenia hastata leave and tender stem consumed in soup and local salad in northern Nigeria proved to be rich in minerals and nutrients to support its dietary role as a consumed vegetable.Keywords: Leptadenia hastata, Minerals, Proximate, Antinutrients, Tender stems, Leave

Broadening Nigeria’s Revenue Base: Exploring Blue Economy Activities

The study explores appropriate mechanism for diversifying Nigeria’s revenue to tap from the opportunities offered by the blue economy. The study conceptually reviewed extant literature as a basis for acquiring an in depth understanding of the phenomenon with a view to offer practical recommendations on the issue. The study discovered that blue economy has the potential of augmenting government revenue if the financial and environmental issues bedeviling the development of the sector are properly addressed. Thus, the study recommends political will and strong institutions for effective running and implementation of blue economy strategies in the nation based on the existing international standards. It also suggested that, to boost revenue from blue economy, Area-based Management needs to be established

In vitro antioxidant activity‐guided fractionation of Daucus carota L. seed extract

Daucus carota Linn (carrot) seeds are medicinally useful in the management of diseases including diabetes mellitus. The present study investigates the in vitro antioxidant activities and phytochemical constituents of several fractions from aqueous seed extract of Daucus carota. D. carota seeds (78.8g) were pulverized and dissolved in 400 mL of distilled water for 24 hours. The crude extract obtained (16.4g, 20.8% yield) was partitioned in water/ethyl acetate (3:1) to yield ethyl acetate fraction (6.2g, 37.8% yield) and aqueous ethyl acetate fraction (7.6g, 46.3% yield) which was subjected to column chromatography. Thirteen (13) fractions obtained were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant activities and screened for phytochemical constituents. The fractions exhibited in vitro antioxidant activities at 2 – 20 μg/mL with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities (IC50 = 1.38 - 22.96 μg/mL), total antioxidant capacity (IC50 = 1.17 - 3.13 μg/mL) and nitric oxide scavenging activities (IC50 = 3.20 - 20.72 μg/mL). Fractions 4 – 8 expressed promising in vitro hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) antioxidant activities with IC50 comparable with that of ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene. The phytochemical screening of fractions 4 – 8 revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolics, which could be responsible for the antioxidant activities. The results suggest that fractions obtained from Daucus carota L. seed extracts possess significant antioxidant potential

Impact of CEO Ownership on Financial Performance: Evidence from Nigerian Listed Firms

This study investigates the impact of CEO ownership on financial performance among Nigerian listed firms from 2016 to 2022. The study population encompasses all the 157 companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) as of January 2023. Employing census filtering criteria, a total of 94 companies qualifies as the sample for the study, contributing 658 firm-year observations over the seven years. Secondary data is extracted from the annual reports and accounts of the selected companies, covering the period from 2016 to 2022. The study utilized descriptive, correlation, and panel corrected standard error (PCSE) analyses to examine the data collected. The findings reveal a significant positive association between CEO ownership and financial performance, indicating that higher CEO ownership levels are associated with improved firm outcomes. This underscores the importance of aligning managerial incentives with shareholder interests to drive sustainable value creation. The results highlight the critical role of robust corporate governance mechanisms in fostering accountability and enhancing shareholder wealth within the Nigerian corporate landscape. To capitalize on these findings, policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders are urged to prioritize governance frameworks that promote CEO ownership and transparency. Moreover, future research directions are outlined, emphasizing the need for deeper exploration of the mechanisms underlying CEO ownership\u27s influence on financial performance and comparative studies across diverse emerging market contexts. Through these endeavors, this study contributes to advancing our understanding of corporate governance dynamics and informing evidence-based policy interventions tailored to the needs of evolving market environments

THE EXTENT OF SUSTAINABILITY DISCLOSURE: EVIDENCE FROM LISTED NIGERIAN OIL AND GAS COMPANIES

Global reporting initiatives (GRI) guidelines has received wide spread acceptance across the globein the area of sustainability reporting. Several studies conducted in developed countries proved theeffectiveness of the GRI index. In order to enjoy the benefits attributable to sustainability reporting,many developing nations claim compliance with the GRI index. However, the extent of compliancewith the index remain sketchy. The objective of this research is to discuss this challenge bymeasuring the extent of sustainability disclosure in the Nigerian oil and gas companies using theGlobal Reporting Initiatives (GRI) framework as yardstick. The study used secondary data collectedfrom the annual report and accounts of eight (8) selected oil and gas companies listed on NigerianStock Exchange (NSE). Weighted disclosure index was used to measure the level of compliance withsustainability disclosure among these companies. T-test was used to find the means difference of theselected companies using company characteristics. The findings reveal that there is significancelevel of compliance with sustainability disclosure requirement by the companies. It also revealsyearly improvement in the means compliance across the study period. In addition, companiescomplied more with the requirement under strategy and analyses than other categories of thedisclosure requirement. It also shows that big companies complied more with the disclosurerequirement than small companies. However, profitability and audit quality of the companies haveno significance difference in influencing level of disclosure. The study further suggests for futureresearch the assessment of value relevance of this level of compliance. : Sustainability Disclosur

Determinants of mortality among patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND:Drug-Resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is estimated to cause about 10% of all TB related deaths. There is dearth of data on determinants of DR-TB mortality in Nigeria. Death among DR-TB treated cohorts in Nigeria from 2010 to 2013 was 30%, 29%, 15% and 13% respectively. Our objective was to identify factors affecting survival among DR-TB patients in northern Nigeria. METHODS:Demographic and clinical data of all DR-TB patients enrolled in Kano, Katsina and Bauchi states of Nigeria between 1st February 2015 and 30th November 2016 was used. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier and multiple regression with Cox proportional hazard modeling. RESULTS:Mean time to death during treatment is 19.2 weeks and 3.9 weeks among those awaiting treatment. Death was recorded among 38 of the 147 DR-TB patients assessed. HIV co-infection significantly increased probability of mortality, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 2.35, 95% CI: 1.05-5.29, p = 0.038. Treatment delay showed significant negative association with survival (p = 0.000), not starting treatment significantly reduced probability of survival with an aHR of 7.98, 95% CI: 2.83-22.51, p = 0.000. Adjusted hazard ratios for patients started on treatment more than eight weeks after detection or within two to four weeks after detection, was beneficial though not statistically significant with respective p-values of 0.056 and 0.092. The model of care (facility vs. community-based) did not significantly influence survival. CONCLUSION:Both HIV co-infected DR-TB patients and DR-TB patients that fail to start treatment immediately after diagnosis are at significant risk of mortality. Our study showed no significant difference in mortality based on models of care. The study highlights the need to address programmatic and operational issues pertaining to treatment delays and strengthening DR-TB/HIV co-management as key strategies to reduce mortality

Additional file 1 of Pharmacoinformatic study of inhibitory potentials of selected flavonoids against papain-like protease and 3-chymotrypsin-like protease of SARS-CoV-2

Additional file 1

Toxicity of Nanoparticles in Biomedical Application: Nanotoxicology

Nanoparticles are of great importance in development and research because of their application in industries and biomedicine. The development of nanoparticles requires proper knowledge of their fabrication, interaction, release, distribution, target, compatibility, and functions. This review presents a comprehensive update on nanoparticles’ toxic effects, the factors underlying their toxicity, and the mechanisms by which toxicity is induced. Recent studies have found that nanoparticles may cause serious health effects when exposed to the body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact without caution. The extent to which toxicity is induced depends on some properties, including the nature and size of the nanoparticle, the surface area, shape, aspect ratio, surface coating, crystallinity, dissolution, and agglomeration. In all, the general mechanisms by which it causes toxicity lie on its capability to initiate the formation of reactive species, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity, among others