Hepatorenal toxicity studies of sub-chronic administration of calyx aqueous extracts of hibiscus sabdariffa in albino rats

Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn has been reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects. Subchronic effects of calyces aqueous extracts of H. Sabdariffa were studied in albino rats. Twenty four (24) albino rats were randomly divided into six (6) groups of four rats each. Group A, was fed with growers mesh and distilled water as control. Groups B to F were administered orally with the aqueous extract at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5g /kg body weight respectively and the treatment period was 28 days. A decreased in weights of the animals were observed at all dose levels. The activities of liver maker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) and direct bilirubin increased significantly (p0.05) increase in concentrations of total protein and albumin were observed in comparison to the control. The renal indices, urea, uric acid and creatinine in the treated groups were significantly increased compared to the control but a significant decrease (

Integrating project based learning components into woodwork technology education curriculum at colleges of education in Nigeria

The main aim of this paper is to investigate project-based learning components suitable for integration into woodwork technology education curriculum (WTE) at Colleges of education (COE) in Nigeria. The study employed an intrinsic case study design. The population for the study comprised 12 respondents involving woodwork technology education lecturers and curriculum planners in north western Nigeria. Semi structured Interview protocol was the instrument used for collecting data for the study, while NVIVO 12 was used to analyse the qualitative data. Findings from the study revealed that the curriculum structure of WTE at COE does not include PoBL. The findings also revealed 21st century skills, inquiry and innovation, publicly presented product among the PoBL components suitable for integration into WTE curriculum at COE in Nigeria. Findings also revealed relevance of integrating PoBL in WTE curriculum, and equally showed from the responses of the participants that involvement of WTE students in investigation, collaboration grouping, and provision of adequate resource facilities as ways through which PoBL components can enhance student skill when integrated into WTE curriculum. Therefore, integrating components of PoBL into WTE curriculum affords students’ the opportunity to enhance their skills in WTE, and bridge the skill gap existing between WTE graduates and the industries

Development and Exploration of Controlled Automated Scissors Car Jack for Vehicle Maintenance

The scissors jack is a commonly used mechanical device for vehicle maintenance and other applications. However, its operation requires significant energy input, posing challenges and complexities, particularly for certain demographics. In response, this paper presents a novel approach to automate the scissors car jack, integrating it with an Android application to enhance energy efficiency, ease of operation, and safety. The motorized lifting system incorporates a car wiper DC motor with an internal gearing system to drive the lead screw of the scissors jack, enabling smooth upward and downward motions. An electrical circuit, comprising a microcontroller, voltage regulator crystal oscillator, diode, resistor, transistor, relay, and Bluetooth module was designed to power the motor through the vehicle's 12V cigarette port and control its rotational direction. Furthermore, an Android application, developed using the MIT App Inventor, serves as a remote control for the DC motor. Through this research, significant advancements in energy efficiency and operational convenience are achieved, while also ensuring enhanced safety during vehicle maintenance. The integration of the scissors jack with an Android application allows users to remotely control the lifting process, providing a more user-friendly and intuitive experience. The findings contribute to the fields of automotive technology, automation, and mechanical systems by offering an innovative solution for efficient and safe vehicle maintenance. In conclusion, this paper presents an automated scissors car jack system integrated with an Android application, showcasing improved energy efficiency, ease of use, and safety. The research findings provide valuable insights for practitioners and researchers alike, advancing knowledge and practice in the field of automotive maintenance and automation

The Nigeria Teachers Social Studies Training Curriculum and Sustainable Development Goals: A Content Analysis

The concept of sustainable development has become a widely used construct that is incorporated into virtually all disciplines and discourses. The implementation and achievement of sustainable development goals in the management of our environmental resources cannot be realised without education especially at a formal levels. Teacher training institutions - (college of education and faculty of education in universities) are expected through their courses to engage and create awareness of sustainability issues using their training programmes. This paper therefore presents a content analysis of sustainability themes and concepts in the College of Education Social Studies curriculum in Nigeria.  This is with the ultimate goal of exploring how any noticed gaps that could inhibit the promotion of education for sustainable development through teacher training can be filled, so that the post 2015 sustainable development goals could be better achieved

Effect of NPK Fertilizer and Transplant Age On Growth, Fruit Yield And Nutritional Content Of Solanum Melongena South Western Nigeria

Good and sustainable agronomic practices are needed in vegetable production to maintain high crop yield.  As part of efforts to achieve this, two field experiments were carried out between 2008 and 2010 to evaluate the combined effects of age of transplant and NPK fertilizer on the growth, fruit yield and quality of Solanum melongena var.’ long purple’. Four levels of NPK fertilizer (0, 200, 300 and 400 kg NPK/ha) and three ages of transplanting (5, 6 and 7 weeks after sowing) in 12 factorial combinations were the treatments. These were laid out in randomized complete block design replicated thrice. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means compared using least significant difference (LSD) at 5% probability level. All the growth parameters and fruit attributes assessed increased with increasing levels of NPK. Application of 300 kg NPK/ha produced the best growth while plants that received 200 kg NPK /ha and non-fertilized plants had least performance. The fruit and seed attributes such as fruit length and girth, number of fruits/plant,  number of seeds/fruits, seed weight, and fruit yield were all significantly influenced by the fertilizer levels. The number of fruits/plant ranges from 4.3 in non- fertilized plants to 8.2 in 300kg NPK /ha treatment. There was no significant difference in fruit yield produced by 300 (26.88 t /ha) and 400 kg (28.78 t /ha) NPK /ha treatments. Transplanting of seedling at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) produced significantly better plant growth, fruit attributes and fruit yield compared to plants transplanted at 5 and 7 WAS. It can be concluded that application of 300 kg NPK /ha in combination with transplanting of seedlings at 6 weeks are good agronomic practices that could ensure optimum performance of Solanum melongena. Key words: Solanum melongena, NPK fertilizer, age of transplant, growth, fruit yield                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

ANALYTICAL STUDY OF HYDROKINETIC ENERGY POTENTIALS IN SOME TIDAL-RIVERS OF KANO STATE NIGERIA

Nigeria is heavily dependent on fossil fuel for electricity generation. With the rapidly diminishing of the fuel reserve and the increasingly negative effects of fossil fuels to the environment, government is considering exploiting alternative energy sources. However, the potential of harnessing other renewable sources, particular ocean energy, in Nigeria has not been fully realized. This study was carried out to identify the potential of harnessing ocean energy for electricity generation. Delft3D3D interactive modelling was used to create a three-dimensional numerical ocean model for some rivers in Kano State, Nigeria, which was calibrated againstmeasurement by a means of adjoin data assimilation approach. A set of reliable tidal speed and tidal elevation data was therefore generated to determine the types of tides available in aimed locations, the potential areas of installing river current turbines (RCTs), the total amount of electricity to be generated by RCT, the economic viability and the environmental benefits of using RCT in the studied areas. It was discovered that Tiga and Challawa are the areas with terrific prospect for tidal energy extraction. The total amount of electricity that can be generated by RCTs on those areas is about 8.86 GWh/year. The total amount of CO2 to be avoided is 1,333tonnes per year. Owners of RCTs may be able to recover the cost of the system after 10 years and can make profits after that. The results are critical to public policy makers and potentialprivate investors on hydrokinetic energy in Nigeria for consideration.&nbsp

Assessment of Trace Metals in Imported Cosmetics marketed in Nigeria

This work is aimed at investigating the levels of some trace metals in make-up items mainly imported into Nigeria. Ten different make-up items were analyzed for seven trace metals. Atomic adsorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to quantify the presence of these heavy metals. The trace metals analyzed included Zn, Cr, Co, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Ni. The concentration of Zn (0.6866 mg/Kg) was found to be the highest in sample I followed by Mn with (0. 5485 mg/Kg) while Cr in sample C and F, and Cd in sample A where below detectable limit.  These heavy metals were found to be within safe limits of Health Canada, The Japanese Standards of Cosmetic Ingredients (JSCI), FDA and The European Cosmetics Directive for healthy cosmetics free of trace metals toxicity. Keywords: Trace metals, Imported, Nigeria, AAS, limit, and FDA

Drosophila modifier screens to identify novel neuropsychiatric drugs including aminergic agents for the possible treatment of Parkinson's disease and depression.

Small molecules that increase the presynaptic function of aminergic cells may provide neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease (PD) as well as treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. Model genetic organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster may enhance the detection of new drugs via modifier or 'enhancer/suppressor' screens, but this technique has not been applied to processes relevant to psychiatry. To identify new aminergic drugs in vivo, we used a mutation in the Drosophila vesicular monoamine transporter (dVMAT) as a sensitized genetic background and performed a suppressor screen. We fed dVMAT mutant larvae ∼ 1000 known drugs and quantitated rescue (suppression) of an amine-dependent locomotor deficit in the larva. To determine which drugs might specifically potentiate neurotransmitter release, we performed an additional secondary screen for drugs that require presynaptic amine storage to rescue larval locomotion. Using additional larval locomotion and adult fertility assays, we validated that at least one compound previously used clinically as an antineoplastic agent potentiates the presynaptic function of aminergic circuits. We suggest that structurally similar agents might be used to development treatments for PD, depression and ADHD, and that modifier screens in Drosophila provide a new strategy to screen for neuropsychiatric drugs. More generally, our findings demonstrate the power of physiologically based screens for identifying bioactive agents for select neurotransmitter systems