Determinants of Antenatal Care Services Utilisation in Nigeria

This study reports on recent evidence on determinants of antenatal visits in Nigeria using data from Demographic and Health Surveys for 2003 and 2008. Using count data models, the results show that women education beyond primary education level increases significantly the likelihood that a pregnant woman would complete at least four antenatal visits before delivery. The results also show that household wealth status has significant positive effect on the number of visits before delivery. There are significant differences in the number of antenatal visits determined by geopolitical zones and the place of antenatal also determines significantly the number of visits. These findings suggest that there is room for policy to control the attitude of women to care utilisation during pregnancy by influencing their education level and income. Keywords: Antenatal care, women, Negative binomial, Nigeri

Extract of Sesamum Indicum Seeds on the Glycogen Profile of the Liver of Adult Wistar Rat

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of seeds extract of Sesamum indicum on the histology liver of adult Wistar rats. Thirty Wistar rats weighing between 150-180g were divided into three groups of ten each; control group A received distilled water, experimental B and C received 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg of the seed extracts respectively. The extracts were administered for two weeks, at the end of which the animals were sacrificed; livers were removed and processed for Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) paraffin sectioning and staining method while the serum was used for liver enzyme assay. From the results obtained, the administration of ethanolic seed extract of Sesamum indicum caused no obvious structural derangement in the organ There were no adverse effects on glycogen distribution. Keywords: Liver, Wistar rats, Sesamum indicum, glycoge

Histomorphology and Biochemical Effects of Sida acuta leaf Extract on the Kidney of Wistar Rats

This study assessed the effect of ethanolic extract of Sida acuta leaf on the micro-anatomy of the kidney of Wistar rats. Thirty adult Wistar rats were separated into 3 groups A, B and C (n=10 per group). The Wistar rats were subjected to different doses of ethanolic extract of Sida acuta in order to evaluate the possible micro-anatomy/morphological changes in the kidney following the administration of the extract. The rats in group A were regarded as control and they received only distilled water throughout the period. The rats in group B and C were the treated groups and received ethanolic extract of Sida acuta leaves daily at doses 100 and 200mg/kgbw orally for 14 days respectively. The animals were sacrificed on the 15th day by cervical dislocation and the kidney excised. Fixed in 10% formal saline and processed for light microscopy using H&E staining methods. Finding from rats’ weight that there was a significant (P<0.05) decrease in body weight of the treated rats compared with the control group. The histological study revealed compressed renal corpuscle, increased bowman’s space and constricted collecting tubule which may adversely affect renal functions. Key words: Sida acuta, Kidney, histomorphology, biochemica

Optimum blending ratio for sorghum-African yam bean food mixture

The plot of chemical score (CS) of sorghum-African yam bean (AYB) food blend against the ratio of the mixture, using the limiting amino acids lysine and sulfur-amino acids (SAAs) gave rise to an intercept which was taken as the point of maximum benefit for the mixture. A double point corresponding to 71.7% sorghum and 28.3% AYB was obtained. This could be taken as the optimum blending ratio for this food mixture. This result agreed closely with animal assay results

Impact of urea on the microstructure of commercial canola protein-carrageenan network: A research note

Biopolymer mixtures contribute to network formation in food systems. The effects of pH and urea on the structural ordering of canola protein isolate-κ-carrageenan (CPI-κ-CAR) gels were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At pH 6, loosely-crosslinked CPI networks with large empty pores were produced whereas tightly-crosslinked structures were displayed at pH 10. The structure of CPI network was greatly improved when CPI and κ-CAR were mixed, indicating a synergistic behaviour between the two macromolecules. Urea affected the structural arrangement and interactions involved in the formation CPI-κ-CAR gels. Urea-treated gels showed excessive network disruption and breakdown. The microstructural results support the involvement of disulfide bonds and noncovalent interactions in the structural arrangement of CPI-κ-CAR networks