Provision Of Low Vision Service In The Department Of Ophthalmology University Of Calabar Teaching Hospital

No Abstract Keywords: Low vision services, Residual vision, Low vision assessment, Retinal dystrophie

EFFECT OF PLANT POPULATION AND SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF OKRA/AMARANTHUS INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

ABSTRAC

EFFECT OF RELATIVE SOWING TIME ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF VEGETABLE COWPEA (VIGNA UNGUICULATA (L.) WALP) AND MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) IN VEGETABLE COWPEA/MAIZE INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

Improved varieties of both vegetable cowpea (IT92KD-263-4-1) and maize (OBA 98) were grown in mixture at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike research farm for two cropping seasons (2006 and 2007) in order to determine the suitable relative sowing time of the component crops. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design and with three replicates. The treatments were vegetable cowpea and maize separately planted in their pure stands, vegetable cowpea and maize simultaneously sown on the same day, vegetable cowpea sown 2, 3, 4 weeks before maize and vegetable cowpea introduced 2, 3 and 4 weeks after maize was sown. Widest leaf area, heaviest total aboveground dry matter and nodules per plant of vegetable cowpea were attributed to the vegetable cowpea sown 4 weeks before maize. Similarly, maize leaf area index, aboveground dry matter, number of grains per cob, 100-seed weight and grain yield per hectare were highest when maize was sown 4 weeks before introducing vegetable cowpea. The highest LER of 1.61 and 1.58 in 2006 and 2007, respectively were attributed to the vegetable cowpea sown 4 weeks after maize. It was therefore, recommended that the resource poor rural farmers should introduce the vegetable cowpea 4 weeks after sowing the maize seeds since they usually target the combined yield from the component crops of the farmlandÂ

Isolation and bioactivity of pentacyclic triterpenoid (Betunilic acid) from the bark of Sarcocephalus latifolius (Smith Bruce)

Sarcocephalus latifolius is a plant variously used in Ethnomedicinal practices in Africa. The dried stem bark of this plant was subjected to continuous extraction using various solvents. The methanol fraction was subjected to vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) to obtain SB-C2. The structure was established by various spectroscopic studies and comparison of the available data and seen to be Betunilic acid. The bioactivity of this compound was carried out using some clinical pathogens and the activity compared with a standard drug. It was discovered that the compound is comparable to the standard drug. Keywords: Sarcocephalus latifolius, Methanol stem bark, Rubiaceae, vlc, SB-C2, Betunilic aci

Biosafety, Antioxidant and Antidiarrhoeal Potentials of Afzelia africana Seed n-Hexane Extract

This study evaluated the biosafety, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, acute toxicological profile and antidiarrhoeal property of n-hexane extract of Afzelia africana seeds. Results from the phytochemical profiling (using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry technique) elicited the presence of hexadecanoic acid (34.97 %), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrien-1-ol (16.27%) and oleic acid (6.71%) as major compounds associated with antioxidant and antidiarrhoeal effects. The study revealed that A. africana seed possesses antioxidant potentials across four models at 100 g/ml (39.6%, 59.6%, 48.11% and 0.765 for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, ferrous ion chelating, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power assays respectively). No adverse effect or lethality was recorded at ≤5000 mg of extract per kg body weight of tested animals after 14 days observation. In castor oil induced diarrhoea, a significant (p<0.05) increase in delayed onset of stooling and percentage inhibition (up to 92.4%) with decrease in defecation frequency were observed across the treated groups when compared with the control. Similarly, the extract showed a significant (p<0.05) dose dependent decrease in gastrointestinal motility with increase in percentage inhibition (up to 91.9%) in charcoal meal test. In conclusion, Afzelia africana seed antidiarrhoeal property has been validated and its folklore benefit affirmed by this study

Risk Factors for Hepatitis B Virus Infection during Pregnancy in South Eastern Nigeria

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and possible risk factors in pregnant women.Design: A cross –sectional serological survey of women attending antenatal clinics.Setting: Five antenatal clinics in Aba, South Eastern Nigeria.Subjects: Eight hundred and ten consecutive and consenting antenatal clinic attendees over the period 15 June- 15 November 2010.Main Outcome measures: For each pregnant woman, the medical and sociodemographic data were documented. Hepatitis B surface antigen seropositivity determined.Results: Twenty two (2.7%) of the 810 subjects were found to be HBsAg seropositive and asymptomatic. Maternal age, parity, educational level attained, marital status, history of blood transfusion, intravenous drug use, tattooing, jaundice in the past and Human Immunodeficiency Virus seropositivity did not show any association with HBsAg sseropositivity.Conclusion: HBsAg seropositive women in the study were asymptomatic and showed no association with the medical and sociodemographic characteristics examined. These findings affirm the recommendation for universal HBsAg screening in pregnancy and imply that screening on the basis of the presence of risk factors alone may be insufficient

Occurrence and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons in soils within the vicinity of hot mix asphalt plants in Obigbo and Igwuruta Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria

This study investigated the occurrence and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) in soils within the vicinity of hot mix asphalt (HMA) plants. Soil samples were collected from two HMA plants and analysed with gas chromatography - flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). Sample collection was from both surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) soils at an increasing distance of 10 m from the HMA plants while the control samples at both depths were collected at 1 km away from the plants. The AHCs concentration (nC9-nC38) in soils from both HMA Plants ranged from 8.16 - 433.04 mg/kg and 5.91-177.83 mg/kg for surface and  subsurface soils respectively while the concentration in the control samples ranged from 5.97 - 23.95 mg/kg and 2.52 - 13.31 for surface and subsurface soil respectively. The sources of the AHCs were determined using isoprenoid ratios, carbon preference index (CPI) and maximum carbon chain (Cmax). The isoprenoid ratios and CPI values of the samples closer (< 20 m) to the HMA plants were < 1 and < 2 respectively indicating anthropogenic inputs. Samples > 20 m from the HMA plants showed mixture of both anthropogenic and biogenic sources.Keywords: Asphalt Plants; Soil; Aliphatic hydrocarbons; Pristane; Phytane

Compliance to Annual Ivermectin Treatment in Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria

A study with the objective of determining the rate of individual compliance to annual ivermectin treatment was conducted in Abia State, south eastern Nigeria between January and November, 2011. The study captured the Local Government Areas in  Abia State that were assessed by Rapid  Epidemiological Mapping for Onchocerciasis (REMO) as being hyper-endemic for onchocerciasis and which have been receiving ivermectin for over 14 years. A study questionnaire was designed to investigate the rate of compliance and this was distributed to 558 individuals. The result showed that out of 558 individuals, 309 (55.4%) had taken the drug before while 249 (44.6%) claimed they have not been treated before. Despite the treatment over time, only 70 (22.7%) of those treated before were high compliers (that is, those who had been treated eight times and above). The overall percentage of high compliers in the sampled communities was only 12.6%. Reasons for low compliance include “lack of information on the arrival of drug” (27.8%), “no reason for refusal” (22.2%),” absent, away from village” (20.0%) and “no distribution” (19.7%). In testing the reasons for low compliance, the Chi-square analytical technique on the data revealed that the reasons given by the respondents for low compliance were not significant (?2cal = 1.797 < ?2tab = 16.9190), and therefore do not affect general compliance. Key words: Compliance, Annual ivermectin treatment, Onchocerciasi

Clinicopathological analysis of histological variants of ameloblastoma in a suburban Nigerian population

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to establish the relative incidence and provide clinico-pathologic information on the various histological types of ameloblastoma seen at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex, Ile-Ife in order to provide a baseline data which will be of significance to the pathologist and clinician. METHODS: Clinico-pathologic data on a total of 77 histologically diagnosed cases of ameloblastoma archieved at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife over a 15 year period were obtained and analysed descriptively. RESULTS: Follicular ameloblastoma was the most common histological type (50 cases, 64.9%), followed by plexiform ameloblastoma (10 cases, 13.0%). 4 (5.2%) cases of desmoplastic and 3 (3.9%) cases of acanthomatous ameloblastoma were seen while the basal cell variant accounted for 2 (2.6%) cases. Only 1 case of the unicystic type was seen. Some of the 77 cases presented as a mixture of two or more histological types. Ameloblastoma occurred over an age range of 11 to 70 years with a peak age incidence in the 3(rd )decade. CONCLUSION: This study provides a baseline data on variants of ameloblastoma as obtained in a suburban Nigerian population. Since variants of ameloblastoma differ in biologic behaviour, the data collected in this study provides clinicopathologic information which is of significance to the pathologist and clinician