Reduction of Sulphur Content of Urals Crude Oil Prior to Processing Using Oxidative Desulphurization

The presence of sulphur in crude oil poses enormous challenges as regards its negative environmental and economic impacts. As such, the safety of the personnel and the equipment is at high risk during the processing of Urals crude oil in Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) because of its sour nature. This study was aimed at reducing the sulphur content of the Urals crude oil prior to processing by subjecting it to oxidative desulphurization where peracetic acid was used as the oxidant in the actual mass-to-stoichiometric mass ratio ranging from 1 to 5. The oxidized sulphur compounds were thereafter extracted using acetic acid as the extraction solvent. Furthermore, atmospheric distillation was carried out on both the raw and the desulphurized crude oil samples. Finally, the sulphur contents of the various crude oil samples and their fractions were analyzed. The results showed drastic reductions in the sulphur contents up to actual mass-to-stoichiometric mass ratio of 2 but the reductions became progressively insignificant afterwards. Meanwhile, the highest reduction in the sulphur content of the crude oil was 61.6 % while those of the gasoline, kerosene, diesel and residue were 32.0, 45.1, 68.9 and 75.0 % respectively. Therefore, peracetic acid is an effective oxidant for oxidative desulphurization of the crude oil.Keywords: Sulphur content, Crude oil, Oxidative desulphurization, Thiophenic compound

Knowledge of School Health Programme among Public Primary School Teachers in Sokoto Metropolis, Northwestern Nigeria

Background: School health program takes care of the health needs of a significant proportion of the population, especially in the third world countries, by ensuring that children of school age remain healthy and benefit maximally from their education. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of School Health Programme (SHP) among primary school teachers in Sokoto metropolis, northwestern, Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 382 public primary school teachers that were selected by multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Proportions and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) in a binary logistic regression model. All levels of significance were set at p < 0.05.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 34.8 ± 8.6 years. More than half of the respondents were Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) holders 245 (64.1%). Knowledge of SHP was good in 198 (51.8%) of the respondents. The predictors of good knowledge were belonging to other ethnicity (aOR: 3.70; 95% CI=1.11–12.50, p=0.034), having degree or postgraduate qualification in education (aOR: 4.55; 95% CI=2.63–7.69, p<0.001) and having worked for two or more decades (aOR: 4.15; 95% CI=1.34–12.78, p=0.011)Conclusion: Nearly half of the respondents had poor knowledge of SHP and this is likely to deny a large number of school children of being healthy and benefitting from th eir education. Awareness campaigns and trainings on SHP to fill in the knowledge gap is highly recommended

Pattern and management of priapism in a tertiary hospital of North-Western Nigeria

Background: Priapism is a persistent penile erection that continues for more than four hours beyond sexual stimulation and orgasm or unrelated to sexual stimulation1. The objective is to document the pattern and management of priapism in our hospital.Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients managed for Priapism by Urology Unit of our hospital, from January 2009 to December 2015.Results: Thirty patients were managed for managed for priapism within the study period. The mean age at presentation was 23.9 ± 12.2 years with a range of 8- 55 years. Fifteen patients (57.7 %) presented beyond 72 hours of the onset of priapism. All the patients had ischaemic priapism. Half of the patients had sickle cell disease, two (7.7 %) had chronic myeloid leukaemia, five (19.2%) used aphrodisiacs and cause was not established in six (23.1%). The most effective forms of treatments were corporal aspiration and glanulocavernosal shunt. Hydroxyurea was used for the patients with leukaemia. Thirteen (50.0%) of the patients were loss to follow-up after their first visits. Three patients (11.5%) developed erectile dysfunction.Conclusion: Sickle cell disease is the commonest cause of ischaemic priapism in our practice. Late presentation is common and is usually associated with the development of erectile dysfunction.Keywords: priapism, sickle cell disease, aphrodisiacs, erectile dysfunction, treatments of ischaemic priapis

Knowledge of Factors Contributing to Child Malnutrition among Mothers of Under-five Children in Sokoto Metropolis, North-West Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition remains a killer of children, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, malnutrition is among the top five killers of children under five years of age. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of factors contributing to child malnutrition among mothers of under-fives.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 347 mothers of under-five children who were selected using a multistage sampling technique from January to March 2018. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS® version 20.0. Descriptive statistics, crude and adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) in cross-tabulation and binary logistic regression analysis, respectively, were estimated.Results: More than half, 198 (57.0%) were aged 40 years and below. Most, 324 (93.4%) of the respondents were Hausas, with only 45 (13.0%) having tertiary education. Majority of the respondents, 326 (93.9%) knew that diarrhoea-causing diseases could lead to malnutrition. About two-thirds, 222 (64.0%) knew that deworming could protect a child from malnutrition. Less than half, 169 (48.7%) did not know that overeating starchy food can cause malnutrition. Overall, majority 216 [62.2% (95% CI = 56.9% - 67.4%)] of the respondents had good knowledge of factors associated with malnutrition. There were no statistically significant predictors of knowledge of factors contributing to malnutrition.Conclusion: Mothers of under-five children in Sokoto metropolis had a high level of knowledge of the factors contributing to child malnutrition. However, there is still a need to continue educating mothers of under-five children on the importance of maintaining proper nutrition for their children. Keywords: Awareness; Factors; Knowledge; Malnutrition; Mothers; Under-fiv

Effects of N-Butanol and Aqueous Fractions of Khaya senegalensis, Guiera senegalensis and Tamarindus Indica Leaves Extracts on Eimeria tenella Oocyst Sporulation in Vitro

The in vitro anti coccidial activities of n-butanol and aqueous fractions of Khaya senegalensis, Gueira senegalensis and Tamarindus indica leaves extracts on Eimeria tenella parasite was studied by observing the effects of the plant extracts on the sporulation of the Eimeria tenella oocysts. Drug resistance and consumer demanding decrease in the use of drugs in animals have generated interest in alternative strategies to control the avian disease one of which is herbal intervention studies. Fresh faecal samples were collected from infected birds and their oocysts load determined. Dilutions of the extracts (100mg, 250mg, 400mg, 550mg, 700mg and 850mg per ml) in distilled water were prepared and placed in separate well labelled petri dishes. 100 oocysts were added to each petri dish and the set up was left at ambient temperature on the laboratory table and monitored twice daily (9.00am and 3.00pm) to observe the sporulation of the oocysts over a 72 hours period. Laboratory sporulation medium (2.5% Potassium dichromate) and Amprolium were used for comparison. The phytochemical result implied that the active ingredients were present mainly in the n-butanol and crude extract  fractions with the nbutanol fraction of the Khaya senegalensis extract containing phenols and flavonoids which have antioxidant effects. The in vitro study showed that the n-butanol fraction of K senegalensis (100mg/ml) and the aqueous fraction of Tamarindus indica (100mg/ml) extracts had similar effects to those obtained using Amprolium which was considered as the standard by inhibiting the sporulation of Eimeria tenella oocysts. It is therefore recommended that more work needs to be done to determine the anti  coccidial activities of these extracts in vivo. Key words: Eimeria tenella, sporulation, in vitro, extract

Determination of morphological features and molecular interactions of Nigerian bentonitic clays using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

This research focused on identifying the morphological features and molecular  interactions of the Nigerian Bentonitic clays using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) characterisation technique. The SEM microstructure images indicated that the bentonite samples are generally moderately dispersive to dispersive with some large flocs which were apparently separate and dispersed from one another rather than located on the totality of the image. This property is more pronounced on the sodium (Na) activated and the treated samples than in the raw samples, which could be due to quartz removal and Na activation on the raw Bentonitic samples. Dispersive sample surfaces consist of loose flakes with no definitive mass structures observed on the treated samples due to added poly anionic cellulose (PAC) to the samplesKey words: SEM, microstructure, images, bentonite, flocs and PA

Climate Change Awareness and related Tree Planting Practices in a Rural Community in North-Western Nigeria

Background: Tree cutting is one of the causes of climate change and a common practice in Africa, a continent under significant threat from climate change. Therefore, climate change awareness and mitigation are vital to reducing its impacts in the region. Reforestation through planting of trees is an important carbon emission reduction strategy. This study assessed climate change awareness and related tree planting practices among household heads in a Nigerian rural community.Methods: A community-based descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2019 among all household heads in Nasarawan Buhari community. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the 104 household heads (or their representatives). Data was analyzed using SPSS (version 21.0) and statistical significance was set at p value of < 0.05.Results: The mean age of respondents was 40.6±12.6 years, and most of them (87.5%) were males. Half (50.0%) were aware of climate change, and their main source of information was radio (63.5%). Most (98.1%) used fire wood for cooking. Only a minority (27.9%) planted at least a tree in the year preceding the study. There was a statistically significant association between climate change awareness and occupation (p=0.038) but not with tree planting (p=0.827).Conclusion: The results indicated that only half of respondents were aware of climate change. There was high use of wood as cooking fuel with low tree planting. Tree planting was not associated with climate change awareness. There is therefore a need for continuous climate change education and mitigation campaign in the community

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Global, regional, national, and selected subnational levels of stillbirths, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality, 1980�2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background Established in 2000, Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4) catalysed extraordinary political, financial, and social commitments to reduce under-5 mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. At the country level, the pace of progress in improving child survival has varied markedly, highlighting a crucial need to further examine potential drivers of accelerated or slowed decreases in child mortality. The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study (GBD 2015) provides an analytical framework to comprehensively assess these trends for under-5 mortality, age-specific and cause-specific mortality among children under 5 years, and stillbirths by geography over time. Methods Drawing from analytical approaches developed and refined in previous iterations of the GBD study, we generated updated estimates of child mortality by age group (neonatal, post-neonatal, ages 1�4 years, and under 5) for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational geographies, from 1980�2015. We also estimated numbers and rates of stillbirths for these geographies and years. Gaussian process regression with data source adjustments for sampling and non-sampling bias was applied to synthesise input data for under-5 mortality for each geography. Age-specific mortality estimates were generated through a two-stage age�sex splitting process, and stillbirth estimates were produced with a mixed-effects model, which accounted for variable stillbirth definitions and data source-specific biases. For GBD 2015, we did a series of novel analyses to systematically quantify the drivers of trends in child mortality across geographies. First, we assessed observed and expected levels and annualised rates of decrease for under-5 mortality and stillbirths as they related to the Soci-demographic Index (SDI). Second, we examined the ratio of recorded and expected levels of child mortality, on the basis of SDI, across geographies, as well as differences in recorded and expected annualised rates of change for under-5 mortality. Third, we analysed levels and cause compositions of under-5 mortality, across time and geographies, as they related to rising SDI. Finally, we decomposed the changes in under-5 mortality to changes in SDI at the global level, as well as changes in leading causes of under-5 deaths for countries and territories. We documented each step of the GBD 2015 child mortality estimation process, as well as data sources, in accordance with the Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER). Findings Globally, 5·8 million (95 uncertainty interval UI 5·7�6·0) children younger than 5 years died in 2015, representing a 52·0% (95% UI 50·7�53·3) decrease in the number of under-5 deaths since 1990. Neonatal deaths and stillbirths fell at a slower pace since 1990, decreasing by 42·4% (41·3�43·6) to 2·6 million (2·6�2·7) neonatal deaths and 47·0% (35·1�57·0) to 2·1 million (1·8-2·5) stillbirths in 2015. Between 1990 and 2015, global under-5 mortality decreased at an annualised rate of decrease of 3·0% (2·6�3·3), falling short of the 4·4% annualised rate of decrease required to achieve MDG4. During this time, 58 countries met or exceeded the pace of progress required to meet MDG4. Between 2000, the year MDG4 was formally enacted, and 2015, 28 additional countries that did not achieve the 4·4% rate of decrease from 1990 met the MDG4 pace of decrease. However, absolute levels of under-5 mortality remained high in many countries, with 11 countries still recording rates exceeding 100 per 1000 livebirths in 2015. Marked decreases in under-5 deaths due to a number of communicable diseases, including lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, measles, and malaria, accounted for much of the progress in lowering overall under-5 mortality in low-income countries. Compared with gains achieved for infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies, the persisting toll of neonatal conditions and congenital anomalies on child survival became evident, especially in low-income and low-middle-income countries. We found sizeable heterogeneities in comparing observed and expected rates of under-5 mortality, as well as differences in observed and expected rates of change for under-5 mortality. At the global level, we recorded a divergence in observed and expected levels of under-5 mortality starting in 2000, with the observed trend falling much faster than what was expected based on SDI through 2015. Between 2000 and 2015, the world recorded 10·3 million fewer under-5 deaths than expected on the basis of improving SDI alone. Interpretation Gains in child survival have been large, widespread, and in many places in the world, faster than what was anticipated based on improving levels of development. Yet some countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, still had high rates of under-5 mortality in 2015. Unless these countries are able to accelerate reductions in child deaths at an extraordinary pace, their achievement of proposed SDG targets is unlikely. Improving the evidence base on drivers that might hasten the pace of progress for child survival, ranging from cost-effective intervention packages to innovative financing mechanisms, is vital to charting the pathways for ultimately ending preventable child deaths by 2030. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license