Investigation of the Properties of “Pure Water” Sachet Modified Bitumen

The increasing volume of traffic loads on our roads is currently a challenge on flexible pavement design and construction.  Factors such as durability, strength and economic needs have to be considered in the design and construction of road pavement.  Many researches have been conducted to explore supplementary material that can make a durable asphalt pavement. It is not unfamiliar that the modification of bitumen with the use of polymers enhances its performance characteristics but at the same time significantly alters its rheological properties. One of the environmental issues in most regions of Nigeria is the large number of polymeric wastes made from polyethylene water sachet (PWS) popularly called “Pure Water” Nylon deposited in domestic wastes and landfills. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of PWS on the properties of conventional bitumen and suitability of discarded PWS as bitumen modifier and to reduce the environmental effects of PWS disposal.  Bituminous blends containing PWS at various percentages 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5% and 15% weight of conventional bitumen. Penetration, softening point and float tests were carried out on the samples to evaluate the penetration index, viscosity, stiffness modulus and the suitability of PWS as bitumen modifier. Sieve analysis and infrared spectroscopy of the shredded PWS sample were also carried out. Result obtained from tests was compared between control sample (0% PWS) and PWS modified samples. The test results show that PWSs influence more on the penetration of the modified sample with the increase in the viscosity of the bitumen as can be observed by the decrease in the value of penetration with the increase in concentration of PWS. The penetration index values of Samples 2.5% PWS and 7.5% PWS makes them to be classified as blown bitumen and the PI value of Sample 5% PWS makes it less susceptible to temperature changes and can be classified as oxidized bitumen. PWS is a cheap and readily available material in construction when used appropriately in bitumen and the recycling of PWS for asphalt base roads helps alleviate an environmental problem and saves energy. Keywords: Bitumen, pure water sachet (PWS), infrared spectroscopy analysis, penetration test, softening point, viscosity tes

Effect of Oral Administration of Honey on Arginase Activity of Rats Exposed to Smoke

In this paper, we report the effect of oral administration of 125 mg/kg honey on the liver and kidney arginase activity of rats exposed to smoke from hydrocarbon-fueled lantern. Eighteen Wistar albino rats (weighing 150-200 g) were randomly assigned into three groups of 6 rats each. Group one served as the control (CTR) that was not exposed to smoke while Group two and three were exposed to smoke alone (SMW) and smoke with honey (SMH) respectively for 12 weeks. Results showed that the inhalation of smoke by the rats for 12 weeks significantly (p<0.05) reduced the total weight gain of experimental rats. The integrity of the liver and kidney were compromised in the SMW group as compared to the control and the SMH rats. There was a significant increase in arginase activity of SMW rats as compared to the control rats; Liver (0.71 ± 0.04 μmol/ml/min), Kidney (0.50 ± 1.07 μmol/ml/min). In addition, there was a significant reduction of arginase activity in the SMH rats as compared to the SMW rat; Liver (0.50 ± 0.06 μmol/ml/min), kidney (0.38 ± 0.60 μmol/ml/min). Our findings suggest that honey has a protective effect on liver and kidney in animals exposed to smoke.Keywords: Smoke, inhalation, honey, arginase, liver, kidne

Exploring barriers to guideline implementation for prescription of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in Nigeria.

Background: In Nigeria, the prescription of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of surgical site infection tends to be driven by local policy rather than by published guidelines (e.g. WHO and Sanford). Objectives: To triangulate three datasets and understand key barriers to implementation using a behavioural science framework. Methods: Surgeons (N = 94) from three teaching hospitals in Nigeria participated in an online survey and in focus group discussions about barriers to implementation. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) was used to structure question items and interview schedules. A subgroup (N = 20) piloted a gamified decision support app over the course of 6 months and reported barriers at the point of care. Results: Knowledge of guidelines and intention to implement them in practice was high. Key barriers to implementation were related to environmental context and resources and concern over potential consequences of implementing recommendations within the Nigerian context applicable for similar settings in low-to-middle-income countries. Conclusions: The environmental context and limited resource setting of Nigerian hospitals currently presents a significant barrier to implementation of WHO and Sanford guidelines. Research and data collected from the local context must directly inform the writing of future international guidelines to increase rates of implementation

From Ebola to COVID-19: emergency preparedness and response plans and actions in Lagos, Nigeria

Background Lagos state is the industrial nerve centre of Nigeria and was the epicentre of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria as it is now for the current Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak. This paper describes how the lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak in 2014 informed the emergency preparedness of the State ahead of the COVID-19 outbreak and guided response. Discussion Following the Ebola outbreak in 2014, the Lagos State government provided governance by developing a policy on emergency preparedness and biosecurity and provided oversight and coordination of emergency preparedness strategies. Capacities for emergency response were strengthened by training key staff, developing a robust surveillance system, and setting up a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory and biobank. Resource provision, in terms of finances and trained personnel for emergencies was prioritized by the government. With the onset of COVID-19, Lagos state was able to respond promptly to the outbreak using the centralized Incident Command Structure and the key activities of the Emergency Operations Centre. Contributory to effective response were partnerships with the private sectors, community engagement and political commitment. Conclusion Using the lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Lagos State had gradually prepared its healthcare system for a pandemic such as COVID-19. The State needs to continue to expand its preparedness to be more resilient and future proof to respond to disease outbreaks. Looking beyond intra-state gains, lessons and identified best practices from the past and present should be shared with other states and countries

From Ebola to COVID-19: emergency preparedness and response plans and actions in Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Lagos state is the industrial nerve centre of Nigeria and was the epicentre of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria as it is now for the current Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak. This paper describes how the lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak in 2014 informed the emergency preparedness of the State ahead of the COVID-19 outbreak and guided response. DISCUSSION: Following the Ebola outbreak in 2014, the Lagos State government provided governance by developing a policy on emergency preparedness and biosecurity and provided oversight and coordination of emergency preparedness strategies. Capacities for emergency response were strengthened by training key staff, developing a robust surveillance system, and setting up a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory and biobank. Resource provision, in terms of finances and trained personnel for emergencies was prioritized by the government. With the onset of COVID-19, Lagos state was able to respond promptly to the outbreak using the centralized Incident Command Structure and the key activities of the Emergency Operations Centre. Contributory to effective response were partnerships with the private sectors, community engagement and political commitment. CONCLUSION: Using the lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Lagos State had gradually prepared its healthcare system for a pandemic such as COVID-19. The State needs to continue to expand its preparedness to be more resilient and future proof to respond to disease outbreaks. Looking beyond intra-state gains, lessons and identified best practices from the past and present should be shared with other states and countries

COVID-19 mortality rate and its associated factors during the first and second waves in Nigeria

COVID-19 mortality rate has not been formally assessed in Nigeria. Thus, we aimed to address this gap and identify associated mortality risk factors during the first and second waves in Nigeria. This was a retrospective analysis of national surveillance data from all 37 States in Nigeria between February 27, 2020, and April 3, 2021. The outcome variable was mortality amongst persons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction. Incidence rates of COVID-19 mortality was calculated by dividing the number of deaths by total person-time (in days) contributed by the entire study population and presented per 100,000 person-days with 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Adjusted negative binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with COVID-19 mortality. Findings are presented as adjusted Incidence Rate Ratios (aIRR) with 95% CI. The first wave included 65,790 COVID-19 patients, of whom 994 (1∙51%) died; the second wave included 91,089 patients, of whom 513 (0∙56%) died. The incidence rate of COVID-19 mortality was higher in the first wave [54∙25 (95% CI: 50∙98–57∙73)] than in the second wave [19∙19 (17∙60–20∙93)]. Factors independently associated with increased risk of COVID-19 mortality in both waves were: age ≥45 years, male gender [first wave aIRR 1∙65 (1∙35–2∙02) and second wave 1∙52 (1∙11–2∙06)], being symptomatic [aIRR 3∙17 (2∙59–3∙89) and 3∙04 (2∙20–4∙21)], and being hospitalised [aIRR 4∙19 (3∙26–5∙39) and 7∙84 (4∙90–12∙54)]. Relative to South-West, residency in the South-South and North-West was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 mortality in both waves. In conclusion, the rate of COVID-19 mortality in Nigeria was higher in the first wave than in the second wave, suggesting an improvement in public health response and clinical care in the second wave. However, this needs to be interpreted with caution given the inherent limitations of the country’s surveillance system during the study

Case Report on Pleural Empyema Thoracis and Urinary Tract Infection Caused by Chromobacterium violaceum from Lagos, Nigeria

Chromobacterium violaceum has been implicated as an important cause of invasive diseases such as septicaemia in neonates and immune-compromised adults with high risk of misdiagnosis, mistreatment, and poor outcomes. Here, we report three new cases of C. violaceum infections in three different hospitalised patients with empyema thoracis (one case) and urinary tract infections (two cases) in a tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, and the diagnosis was confirmed with the MALDI-TOF MS instrument. The patients were admitted and treated with parenteral antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and ceftriaxone) and discharged after clinical cure. Clinical and Laboratory findings from this study revealed C. violaceum as an emerging and an “underdiagnosed” pathogen causing human infections in Nigeria with ciprofloxacin identified as an effective empirical treatment. Follow-up of cases treated with microbiologically efficacious antibiotics indicates a good treatment outcome

In silico molecular modeling and simulations of black tea theaflavins revealed theaflavin-3’-gallate as putative liver X receptor-beta agonist

The low constitutive activation of Liver X receptor, an endogenous nuclear receptor with two subtypes (α and β), is a condition lying at the crossroad of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Both natural and synthetic Liver X receptor agonists have reportedly shown remarkable antiproliferative and atheroprotective effects but the repeated doses of its synthetic ones are also paradoxically associated with hyperlipidaemic effects and neurotoxicity, though attributed to the alpha subtype. This highlights the need for novel, safe, and potent LXR-beta-selective agonists. Hypocholesterolaemic effects of black theaflavins have been widely reported, but data on the exact theaflavin compound (s) responsible for these effects is currently lacking. Neither is information on the possible modulatory effects of the compound (s) on LXR-beta nor its possible implications in the context of drug development for cardiovascular diseases and cancers is explored. On this account, we investigated the potential interaction of four main theaflavin monomers (TF1, TF2A, TF2B &amp; TF3) with human LXR-beta through robust computational modelling that entails molecular docking, free energy calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The ligands were further profiled (in silico) for absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicological properties. Our result revealed theaflavin TF2B as a putative LXR-beta agonist, possibly responsible for the widely observed hypocholesterolaemic effect in black tea. This finding, while encouraging, needs to be experimentally verified in wet studies. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.</p