Extraction of bioliquid and quantitative determination of saturates, aromatics and organic polars from fermented banana (Musa sapintum) leaves

Bioliquid generated from the leaves of banana (Musa sapintum) through anaerobic fungal degradation was obtained by soxhlet extraction using absolute methanol as solvent at 600C for 72 hours. The bioliquid extracted was recovered from the extracting solvent by evaporation usingrotary evaporator. The extract obtained was concentrated to a constant weight using hot plate at 370C. The concentrated bioliquid was dissolved in a solution mixture of methanol and hexane and the maltenes content of the bioliquid was separated from the asphaltenes by precipitation. Themaltenes obtained was further separated into fractions (saturates, monoaromatics, diaromatics, polyaromatics and organic polars) by column chromatography. The analysis revealed that the amounts of saturates, monoaromatics, diaromatics, polyaromatics and organic polars in 72.50mgmaltenes analysed were 38.00mg, 9.20mg, 6.70mg, 11.30mg and 3.80mg respectively.Keywords: Bioliquid; maltenes; asphaltenes; saturates; aromatics; oganic polars

Awareness and attitude of primary school teachers in Kano metropolis, Nigeria towards pupils with learning disabilities, how effective is the school health programme?

Teachers have central role in identification and management of children with learning disabilities. Objectives: Ten years after drafting the national guidelines for implementation of school health programme in Nigeria, this study assessed awareness and attitude of primary school teachers in Kano metropolis towards children with learning disabilities as proxy for the effectiveness of school health programme. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to study a random sample of 186 primary school teachers in Kano. Data was collected with the aid of a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire, and analyzed using IBM SPSSStatistics for Windows, version 22. Result: The mean age of the teachers was 32.8 ± 7.8 years. Majority had post-secondary school education 170(91.9%) and had worked for an average of 7.5 ± 6.8 years. About half 98(53.0%) were aware of a link between lack of academic progression in children and some probable medical condition(s), but none of them knew the characteristics of learning disabilities. About one-quarter of the teachers 52(28.1%) had negative attitude towards pupils with learning disability. Teaching in a large class was the only factor that emerged as the independent predictor of the teachers' positive attitude towardsstudents with learning disabilities. Conclusion: Majority of the teachers had positive attitude towards pupils with learning disabilities but none of them could identify the features of such children. Ministries of health and education should work closely with development partners and interested researchers to resuscitate the school health programme

Sequelae due to bacterial meningitis among African children: a systematic literature review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African children have some of the highest rates of bacterial meningitis in the world. Bacterial meningitis in Africa is associated with high case fatality and frequent neuropsychological sequelae. The objective of this study is to present a comprehensive review of data on bacterial meningitis sequelae in children from the African continent.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a systematic literature search to identify studies from Africa focusing on children aged between 1 month to 15 years with laboratory-confirmed bacterial meningitis. We extracted data on neuropsychological sequelae (hearing loss, vision loss, cognitive delay, speech/language disorder, behavioural problems, motor delay/impairment, and seizures) and mortality, by pathogen.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 37 articles were included in the final analysis representing 21 African countries and 6,029 children with confirmed meningitis. In these studies, nearly one fifth of bacterial meningitis survivors experienced in-hospital sequelae (median = 18%, interquartile range (IQR) = 13% to 27%). About a quarter of children surviving pneumococcal meningitis and <it>Haemophilus influenzae </it>type b (Hib) meningitis had neuropsychological sequelae by the time of hospital discharge, a risk higher than in meningococcal meningitis cases (median = 7%). The highest in-hospital case fatality ratios observed were for pneumococcal meningitis (median = 35%) and Hib meningitis (median = 25%) compared to meningococcal meningitis (median = 4%). The 10 post-discharge studies of children surviving bacterial meningitis were of varying quality. In these studies, 10% of children followed-up post discharge died (range = 0% to 18%) and a quarter of survivors had neuropsychological sequelae (range = 3% to 47%) during an average follow-up period of 3 to 60 months.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Bacterial meningitis in Africa is associated with high mortality and risk of neuropsychological sequelae. Pneumococcal and Hib meningitis kill approximately one third of affected children and cause clinically evident sequelae in a quarter of survivors prior to hospital discharge. The three leading causes of bacterial meningitis are vaccine preventable, and routine use of conjugate vaccines could provide substantial health and economic benefits through the prevention of childhood meningitis cases, deaths and disability.</p