Impact of Abandoned Structures on Residents in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

The increasing incidence of abandoned structures coupled with the associated seemly insurmountable environmental, psychosocial and economic risks in a developing country like Nigeria is a nerve racking problem of concern to the government and the communities. The study therefore, within the context of the three residential densities the study examined the incidence, causes and impacts of abandoned structures with a view to providing information on the extents and effects of abandoned structures on residents in Ilorin. The study utilized primary data obtained with the aid of questionnaire from 428 residents collected in the ratio 3:2:1 in high, medium and low density residential areas. Four indices were developed: ‘Environmental Impact of Abandonment’ (EIAI), ‘Psycho-Social Impact of Abandoned Structures’ (PSIASI), ‘Economic Impact of Abandonment’ (EcIAI) and ‘Suggested Solutions to Abandonment’ (SSA). It is observed that the incidence of abandoned structures varies significantly among the residential neighbourhoods of Ilorin metropolis (F = 9.458 and p = 0.036 at 95% confidence level). The magnitude of the six categories of abandonment in Ilorin metropolis is more in the high density area then in medium and low density. Residents of different residential densities of Ilorin do not have the same or similar views about the environmental effect of abandonment in their areas (F= 4.604 and p= 0.0160. The study recommends as suggested by respondents increase in basic salary (SSA =, 4.31) local planning authority should work on blight control (SSA = 4.29) and there should be proper site selection before commencement of building projects (SSA =.4.28). DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-18-08 Publication date:September 30th 201

Comparative evaluation of the quality characteristics of composite flour bread produced from wheat-root tuber and wheat-grain legume flour blends

Adoption of composite flours for baked and non-baked goods has been trending and the underlying reasons include economic consideration, nutritional enhancement and amelioration of noncommunicable diseases through consumption of functional foods. Comparative study of the performance of popular food crop flours in bread making is not well documented although a lot work abound in the literature concerning specific blends from wheat and crop flours studied separately. But in the present study, comparative effects of 30% substitution of wheat flour with two common root tuber flours: sweet potato (Ps) and cassava (Ca) and three common grain legume flours in Nigeria: soybean (S), cowpea (Co), bambara groundnut (B) on bread quality were studied. Soybean, cowpea, and bambara groundnut were soaked and decorticated, toasted mildly and milled to obtain flours. Cassava and sweet potato roots were peeled, chopped, oven dried, milled and sieved. All purpose wheat flour was used to form blends with non-wheat flours on a constant ratio of 70:30 replacement weight basis, a total of five flour blends were obtained while 100% wheat flour served as the control. Bread were prepared using straight dough method of AACC. Thereafter, standard procedures were used to evaluate the proximate composition of the blends and bread, as well as the bread physical and sensory properties. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance and mean values ±SE were reported. Consistently, soybean and bambara groundnut flours had significant higher content of protein, ash, crude fat and crude fibre than cassava and sweet potato flours which contained higher level of carbohydrates. The moisture contents of the flours were low and comparable. The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate contents of the flour blends and the refined wheat flour varied significantly (p<0.05) from 8.08-10.27%, 7.52-13.93%, 2.08-4.06%, 0.81-1.85%, 2.11-4.51% and 67.75-76.66% respectively. The same trend was repeated in the proximate composition of the composite flour breads although the calorific values decreased due to decrease in carbohydrate contents (58.00-47.64%), protein (6.37-11.98%), and increase in moisture (26.71-29.75%), relative to the values observed in the flour blends. Bread weights (196-223g) were comparable but the bread volumes (429-988ml) and specific loaf volumes (2.24-4.82ml/g) varied significantly (p<0.05) and wheat bread had the highest and legume flour treated breads had the least. Organoleptic properties of the wheat bread were rated better in some attributes however not significantly (p<0.05) different from those of 30% sweet potato and cassava breads. It was concluded that although nutritional value of legume containing breads were greater yet their bread volumes were depressed more, the higher protein of grain legume flours not withstanding confirming the fact that quality not quantity of the protein is the determinant factor in bread making potential of flours

Unique genetic and histological signatures of mouse pericardial adipose tissue

Obesity is a major risk factor for a plethora of metabolic disturbances including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Accumulating evidence is showing that there is an adipose tissue depot-dependent relationship with obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction. While some adipose depots, such as subcutaneous fat, are generally metabolically innocuous, others such as visceral fat, are directly deleterious. A lesser known visceral adipose depot is the pericardial adipose tissue depot. We therefore set out to examine its transcriptional and morphological signature under chow and high-fat fed conditions, in comparison with other adipose depots, using a mouse model. Our results revealed that under chow conditions pericardial adipose tissue has uncoupling-protein 1 gene expression levels which are significantly higher than classical subcutaneous and visceral adipose depots. We also observed that under high-fat diet conditions, the pericardial adipose depot exhibits greatly upregulated transcript levels of inflammatory cytokines. Our results collectively indicate, for the first time, that the pericardial adipose tissue possesses a unique transcriptional and histological signature which has features of both a beige (brown fat-like) but also pro-inflammatory depot, such as visceral fat. This unique profile may be involved in metabolic dysfunction associated with obesity

Numerical Modeling of Fluid Flow and Thermal Transport in Gravity - Dominated 3D Microchannels

The success recorded by the usage of microchannel in high flux cooling application, has led to several studies aimed at advancement in microchannel fluid flow and heat transfer technology. A recent study area with promising breakthrough is the effects of g ravity on microscale flow. Numerical simulations were conducted to study single phase flow and heat transfer in 3D microchannels. A priori, the 3D models were validated with experimental results and showed agreement. Two different aspects were simulated: f irstly a microchannel with hydraulic diameter of Dh =199 휇푚 for gravity effects on heat transfer. Secondly, gravity effects on friction factor with hydraulic diameter Dh = 1587 휇푚 . The 3D model confirmed the existence of gravity effects and scaled with significant factors previous 2D model predictions. This result realistically presents the potential of microchannel angular orientation as a passive tool for flow optimization and heat enhancement in portable electronics devices and compact - sized biomedic al devices

Occupational Stress-Related Sleep Anomaly in Frontline COVID-19 Health Workers: The Possible Underlying Mechanisms

COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral illness that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Since its emergence, it has exerted a negative impact on many sectors globally without the exception of frontline COVID-19 healthcare providers. Specifically, in frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers, occupational stress-related sleep disorders such as insomnia and daytime somnolence have been extensively reported and were characterized by neuro-immunological changes. However, the possible mechanisms that underlie the sleep disorders have not been elucidated. The review was designed to highlight possible sleep mechanisms responsible for insomnia and daytime somnolence reported in frontline COVID-19 health workers. Available evidence shows that emotional perturbation, hypertension, chronobiological disruption and prolonged exposure to artificial light are among the events orchestrating occupational-stress-related sleep disorders in frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers. Anxiety-associated sleep anomaly is attributable to stimulation of the reticular activating system which occurs as a result of activation of noradrenergic fiber and sympatho-adrenal axis. Another mechanism includes depletion of hippocampal and brain glycogen by anxiety-induced activation of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)-secreting brain neurons and hypothalamic-corticotropic-adrenal cortex axis. Spontaneous discharge of noradrenergic fiber during basal state and changes in normal secretory rhythm of hypnosis-related chemical messengers may be responsible for hypertension- and chronobiological disruption-induced sleep disorders, respectively. Lastly, prolonged light exposure-induced suppression of melatonin secretion may elicit disruption of normal circadian sleep

Mitochondrial diversity of Yoruba and Fulani chickens: A biodiversity reservoir in Nigeria

Poultry are the most widely distributed type of livestock in Nigeria. Indigenous chickens are extremely common throughout the country. Indeed, approximately 83 million chickens are raised in extensive systems and 60 million in semi-intensive systems. To provide the first comprehensive overview of the maternal lineages in Southwest Nigeria, we analyzed 96 mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from 2 indigenous chicken ecotypes: Fulani and Yoruba. All samples belonged to the most frequent haplogroup (E) in Africa and Europe and showed noticeably low haplotype diversity. Although only 11 different haplotypes were detected, with 2 of them never found before in Nigeria, the presence of unique sequences among our indigenous samples testified to their status as an important genetic resource to be preserved. Furthermore, a total of 7,868 published sequences were included in the comparative analysis, which revealed an east-west geographic pattern of haplogroup distribution and led to the conclusion that the gene flow from Southeastern Asia mainly involved one mitochondrial clade. Moreover, owing to the extensive genetic intermixing among Nigerian chickens, conservation efforts are required to safeguard the extant mitochondrial variability in these indigenous ecotypes and establish future improvement and selection programs