Incidence and detection of parasitic infections by cyst and ova on fruits and vegetables from different major markets in Kogi, Nigeria

In the course of a study of parasitic infections by cyst and ova on fruits and vegetable sold in middle-belt Nigeria, three different major public markets was selected. Six different fruits and vegetables total to 2406 samples were examined.Data obtained were statistically analyzed using anova for the level of significance difference where appropriate. Of the 1755 fruits examined, 4.3% were positive for parasites ova and 2.5% for cysts. Of the 761 vegetables examined, 4.6% were positive for parasites ova and 2.8% for cysts.The contamination rate of protozoan cyst and ova found are Giardia lamblia (2.61%) Entamoebs histolytica (0.66%). The difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).Cases of contamination rate of protozoan cyst and ova were small compared to helminthic contamination. However, helminths such as Strongylodies stercoralis Trichiuris trachura and Ascaris lumbricoides were predominant in that order. The public health implication on the subjects is discussed. Through washing of all fruits and vegetables with clean water prior to consumption is recommended

Knowledge, attitude and practice of injection safety among Benue State University Teaching Hospital healthcare professionals

Background: Globally about 16 billion injections are given in a year, 40% of which involves reuse of needles and syringes without sterilization. This predisposes both the recipient and the health worker to blood borne infections like Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis etc. States like Benue, which has HIV prevalence above the national average, probably have higher risk of these infections. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of injection safety among the healthcare professionals of Benue State University Teaching Hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study using stratified sampling technique was carried out on 141 health professionals of the institution between January to March 2014, using structuredself-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 with statistical significance set at p-value of p <0.05.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 35.42 (SD±8.72) years. The respondents were predominantly males (56.7%) and nurses dominated the cadre. Overall, the respondents had good (70.2%)knowledge, positive (87.2%) attitude and appropriate (79.8%) practice scores respectively, but there were some misconceptions about the diseases transmissible by unsafe injection. The commonest unsafe injection practice among the respondents was recap of needles (19.1%). The relationship between the nature of injury and the cadre of health care professionals was statistically significant (P=0.004).Conclusion: There is disproportionate gap between the level of knowledge and the practice of injection safety, hence continuing medical education among health professionals is recommended to reduce the rate of needle stick injuries.Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Injection safety, Benue, health worker

The Dynamics of Demand and Supply of Electricity in Nigeria

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the demand and supply of electricity in Nigeria. The analysis was performed using annual times series data for the period 1970 to 2012. For this purpose, we estimated the long–run demand and supply equations for electricity using the reduced form regression method (RFRM) and the Vector error correction method (VECM) approach. Our analysis revealed that the theoretical modeling requirements rather than the simplified reduced form regression in the simultaneous equation system to satisfy the statistical requirements determine the choice of the statistical model. The results from the estimated model in terms of individual parameters in the system revealed that both price and income are demand elastic. As such, increasing electricity price in Nigeria would lead to a reduction in revenue by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The study also show that PHCN is currently experiencing diseconomies of scale as a result of inefficiency, inability to innovate as well as the necessary knowledge needed to expand output so as to reduce average cost. Similarly, the paper posits that the current reform in the electricity sector would only lead to increase in average unit cost and hence the price of electricity. We therefore recommend that for the Nigerian electricity sector to be viable as well as meet the supply and demand needs of both the private, commercial and industrial sector of the economy, the government at all levels, policy and decision makers must take stringent measures to curtail the problem of inefficiency, lack of manpower, be able to innovate so as to reduce wastage to its lowest web. This will not only bolster the growth of the Nigerian economy but will also be a source of revenue for the government for its infrastructural development needs. Keywords: Electricity demand and supply, Annual data, Simultaneous equation method and Vector error correction method (VECM

Effect of Domestic Processing on the Levels of Some Functional Parameters in Black Turtle Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L)

There are useful constituents that are present in legume seeds but their utilization has been ignored because it has been established that there are compounds or substances which act to reduce nutrient intake, digestion and absorption. It was on these premises that effect of domestic processing methods (boiling, cooking, roasting, sprouting and fermenting) were investigated on some functional parameters for black turtle bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) flour. The functional parameters (oil absorption, oil emulsion, water and foaming capacities: OAC, OEC, WAC, FC; foaming and oil emulsion stabilities: FS, OES; bulk density: BD; least gelation capacity: LGC; protein solubility: PS) of raw and processed black turtle bean flour were all determined using standard analytical techniques. The results showed that WAC, OAC, FC, LGC and BD were all enhanced by different processing methods while FS was reduced by the same methods. Emulsion capacity and stability were either enhanced or reduced by these methods. Processing significantly (p?0.05) affected the content of some functional parameters in black turtle bean flour. The protein solubility studies of the raw and processed samples were found to have minimum solubility at pH 4.0 which corresponds to the isoelectric point where protein isolates might be recovered from the samples. The food properties of WAC, OAC, FC, FS, EC, ES, LGC and BD in the raw and processed black turtle bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are much better than most literature samples thereby making black turtle bean potentially useful in some food formulations. Keywords: Food properties, processing methods, black turtle bea

Evaluation of the Nigerian national antiretroviral (ARV) treatment training programme

There is an understanding that greater availability of HIV treatment for the 40.3 million people currently infected with HIV is a humanitarian imperative that could prolong the lives of millions, restore economic productivity, and stabilise societies in some of the world's hardest-hit regions. The Nigerian government recognises that the country has the third highest burden of infection, with people living with HIV estimated to total 4.0 million, and so in 2002 commenced the implementation of one of Africa's largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programmes. A successful ARV programme requires that all components of a functional management system be put in place for effective and efficient functioning. This would include logistics, human resources, financial planning, and monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as sustainable institutional capacities. The Nigerian national ARV treatment training programme was conceived to meet the human resource needs in hospitals providing ARV therapy. This paper reports on the evaluation of the training programme. It examines knowledge and skills gained, and utilisation thereof. Recommendations are made for improved training effectiveness and for specific national policy on training, to meet the demand for scaling up therapy to the thousands who need ARV. Keywords: ARV, training, evaluation, HIV, health care providerJournal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Initiatve Vol. 3 (3) 2006: pp. 488-50

Seasonal Variability of Rainfall and its Decadal Anomaly over Nigeria: Possible Role of Solar and Geomagnetic Activities

This study investigates seasonal variations of rainfall and its decadal anomaly over Nigeria and the possible role of solar and geomagnetic activities. Sunspot number and geomagnetic aa index were used as solar indices. Monthly mean rainfall data from Nigeria Meteorological Agency was used in this study. Bivariate and power spectral density analyses were employed in analyzing the data. Rainfall anomaly was calculated using the mean of the base period, 1981 – 2010. Seasonally, rainfall varies from the coastal areas to the hinterland from January to December during rainy and dry seasons. On the decadal rainfall anomaly, positive anomalies increases steadily towards the coastal regions; indicating an increase in rainfall characteristic, whereas negative anomalies increases towards the northern regions; depicting decrease in rainfall characteristic. This was confirmed from the Mann-Kendall trend test. These variations are evidence of climate change. Correlation analysis revealed that the correlation of rainfall with sunspot and aa index were statistically insignificant. The spectral analysis revealed signatures of solar and geomagnetic activities on the rainfall spectrum. We therefore infer that, in addition to anthropogenic activities, solar and geomagnetic activities might play important role in the observed climate change in Nigeria; since rainfall is used as climate change indicator

Functional Properties of Processed Pinto Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Grown in Plateau State, Nigeria

It is well documented that processing method influences the chemical composition and utilization of plant foods. For this purpose, the effect of different processing methods (boiled, cooked, roasted, sprouted and fermented) was investigated on the functional properties of pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) flour. Functional properties (water, oil, oil emulsion and foaming capacities: WAC, OAC, OEC, FC; foaming and oil emulsion stabilities: FS, OES; least gelation concentration: LGC; bulk density: BD; protein solubility: PS) of raw and processed pinto bean flour were all determined using standard analytical techniques. The results showed that OEC, OES, LGC and BD were enhanced by different processing methods while WAC and OAC were reduced by roasting method. Processing significantly (p ?0.05) affected the content of some functional parameters in pinto bean flour. Boiling, sprouting and fermenting increased WAC and OAC contents by 34.6, 28.8, 21.2% and 33.0, 24.2, 36.3%, respectively while cooking, roasting and sprouting reduced FS by respective 3.9, 32.4 and 13.6%. The protein solubility studies of the raw and processed sample flour were found to have minimum solubility at pH range of 4.0 to 5.2 which correspond to isoelectric points where protein isolates might be recovered from the samples. Generally, all the functional parameters determined in this study were good thereby making raw and processed samples of pinto bean potentially useful in some food formulations. Keywords: Pinto bean, domestic processing, functional parameters

Catalyst-Free Expeditious Synthesis Of 2-(4-TERT-BUTYLPHENYL)-3-Sustituted Quinazolin-4(3H)-One Derivatives

Quinazoline and quinazolinone derivatives are well-known bioactive heterocycles owing to their therapeutic diversity and extensive medicinal application in drug design and pharmaceutics. A series of 2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-3-substituted quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives, 2a-q was herein synthesized from benzoylational conversion of anthranilic acid to 2-(4-tertbutylphenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one, 1 which was the first precursor which was subsequently transformed to the targeted 2,3-disubstituted quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives, 2a-q by reacting with some cheap and readily accessible amino-containing moieties via an ameliorable pathway. The catalyst-free synthesis was successfully achieved by careful reaction optimization study using solvent choice and reaction temperature variability as key parameters. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, UV, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and DEPT-135 as well as analytical data. The data obtained were consistent with the proposed structures of the compounds. This targeted quinazoline motifs might pave way for new bioactive template from future drug development

Disasters in Nigeria: A Public Health Perspective

Background: Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth with some fragile demographic, socio-economic and health indices. The country has been having its own share of both natural and man-made disasters. This paper discussed an overview of disasters and some socio-demographic characteristics of Nigeria, factors in vulnerability of disasters, public health impacts and issues in disaster management in Nigeria among others from a public health perspective and the way forward.Methods: The authors undertook full searches (September-November, 2012) of original research, reports and reviews using Medline, pubMed, Embase and World Health Organisation (WHO) database. Search words were disaster, disasters in Nigeria, and public health impacts. Part of the data used was personal communications and in-press publications.Results: The results revealed significant number of disasters in Nigeria, such as plane crashes, oil pipeline fire explosions, collapsed buildings, terrorist attacks, civil strife, and flood, among others. Some of the identified issues that hampered quick response and recovery included poor and ineffective search and rescue operations, poverty, poor public and community education on disaster management, among others.Conclusion: There is need for public and community education on disaster and its management, disaster preparedness, wellcoordinated and effective search and rescue operations, capacity building, tackling corruption and poverty reduction.Keywords: Disaster, Public Health, Public Education, Disaster Mitigation, Nigeri