Hydro-Geotechnical Assessment of an Open Waste Disposal Site in Ilorin, Nigeria

No Abstrac

Effect of Toluene and Dioctylphthalate on the Rebar Corrosion of Medium Carbon Steel in Seawater and Cassava Fluid

Chemical mitigation is regularly used as one of the principal prevention and control techniques in reinforcement corrosion. Hence this study presents the effect of toluene and dioctylphthalate on the rebar corrosion of medium carbon steel in seawater and cassava fluid with a view to determining inhibitive potentials of the different in-hibitors in the two media. Gravimetric and voltametric techniques were employed in this study and a total of forty-five corrosion coupons of different dimensions were produced. Forty coupons were used for gravimetry and the remaining five for corrosion potentials measurements. Eight of the samples were used as control; while other eight samples were admixed with dioctylphthalate and toluene in concrete cubes. It was later immersed in seawater and cassava fluid for a total duration of 32 days and the measurements were taken at interval of 4 days in order to determine the corrosion rates in mils per year (mmpy). Two controls and admixed samples were later immersed in seawater and cassava fluid, respectively, for durations of thirty-two days to determine the corrosion potentials using a voltmeter and a Copper-Copper Sulphate Electrode (Cu/CuSO4). The pH of each medium was also measured throughout the period of exposure. The results obtained showed that all the samples except the control samples, displayed some degree of inhibition. The inhibition levels for the admixed samples in seawater were on the higher side compared with those in cassava fluid. The inhibition efficiencies for different inhibitors followed different trends in different environment. The inhibition efficiencies for toluene in cassava fluid and seawater were 21.64% and 45.78% respectively. The study concluded that organic inhibitors were effective in inhibiting corrosion in cyanide and chloride contaminated concrete cubes

Effect of Calcium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite on the Rebar Corrosion of Medium Carbon Steel in Seawater and Cassava Fluid

Inhibitors are regularly used as one of the principal prevention and control techniques in reinforcement corrosion. Hence this study investigates the effect of calcium nitrate and sodium nitrite inhibitors on the rebar corrosion of medium carbon steel in seawater and cassava fluid with a view to determining inhibitive potentials of the different inhibitors in the two media. Gravimetric and voltametric techniques were employed in this study and a total of forty-five corrosion coupons of different dimensions were produced. Forty coupons were used for gravimetric analysis and the remaining five for corrosion potentials measurements. Eight of the samples were used as control; while other eight samples each were admixed with calcium nitrate and sodium nitrite in concrete cubes. It was later immersed in seawater and cassava fluid for a total duration of 32 days and the measurements were taken at the interval of 4 days in order to determine the corrosion rates in mils per year (mmpy). Two controls and admixed samples each were later immersed in seawater and cassava fluid, respectively, for durations of 32 days to determine the corrosion potentials using a voltmeter and a Copper-Copper Sulphate Electrode (Cu/CuSO4). The pH of each medium was measured throughout the period of exposure. The results obtained expressed that all the samples except the control samples, displayed some degree of inhibition. The inhibition levels for the admixed samples in seawater were higher compared with those in cassava fluid. Inhibition efficiencies for various inhibitors followed different trends in different environment. The inhibition efficiencies for calcium nitrate in cassava fluid and seawater were 26.81% and 64.85% respectively. The study concluded that inorganic inhibitors were effective in inhibiting corrosion in cyanide and chloride contaminated concrete cubes

Relationship of Waist-Hip Ratio and Body Mass Index to Blood Pressure of Individuals in Ibadan North Local Government

Several studies have shown that there is a significant relationship between relative weight and hypertension. The anatomical distribution of weight has also been shown to be a factor in determining which people are more susceptible to hypertension and thus at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the relationship between two anthropometric measurements for obesity – body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), and the blood pressure of Nigerians aged 15-85 years. The study employed a cross-sectional survey of individuals living in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. Four hundred and four male and female individuals were recruited using a non-probability sampling technique. Measurements taken include subjects’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist and hip girths, height, and weight. Information was obtained about lifestyle and occupation as well as familial history of hypertension, diabetes, cardiac and renal diseases. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with alpha set at 0.05. Results show that WHR and BMI had a linear relationship with the blood pressure of the participants. KEY WORDS: blood pressure, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, hypertensio

Congenital anomalies in a State Specialist Hospital; A Secondary Level of Healthcare

No Abstract

Health Literacy Amongst Tuberculosis Patient in a General Hospital in North Central Nigeria

Background: Healthy literacy has been shown to improve health care access and adherence to Tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Still it remains largely unstudied in many high risks, underserved and low literacy African populations. This study aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap by assessing health literacy among patients with TB in a rural town in Northern Nigeria.Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among patients who attended the TB clinic of a secondary health care facility in Babura, Jigawa State, Nigeria between Oct 2008 and March 2009. All patients who visited the TB clinic during this period were interviewed.Result: Many (71.6%) reported having been educated about TB by a health worker, mostly on predisposing factors 43.2%, general facts (31.1%) and disease process (21.6%) but less on patient's role in disease management (1.4%). Functional health literacy was high; mean score was 7.9±0.3 out of 10. Knowledge about the disease process, diagnostic requirements and treatment regimen were the highest. However 97.3% felt drugs were no longer necessary once symptoms abated. Patient involvement in treatment decisions was also suboptimal as only 52.7% reported making a joint decision about drug “pick up” options with their physicians.Conclusion: Very high functional literacy score seemed to have been achieved among these rural low literacy TB patients even without a structured health literacy program. However patient participation in treatment seems to be underemphasized and was thus suboptimal. An important gap in patient education regarding continued TB treatment was identified and should be targeted for intervention.Keywords: Health Literacy, Tuberculosis, General Hospital, Nigeri

Validation of xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay in Nigeria

Objective: There is a need for reliable serological assays to determine accurate estimates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence. Most single target antigen assays have shown some limitations in Africa. To assess the performance of a multi-antigen assay, we evaluated a commercially available SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay for human coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Nigeria. / Methods: Validation of the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay was carried out using well-characterized SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reactive positive (97) and pre-COVID-19 pandemic (86) plasma panels. Cross-reactivity was assessed using pre-COVID-19 pandemic plasma specimens (213) from the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS). / Results: The overall sensitivity of the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay was 75.3% [95% CI: 65.8%– 82.8%] and specificity was 99.0% [95% CI: 96.8%– 99.7%]. The sensitivity estimate increased to 83.3% [95% CI: 70.4%– 91.3%] for specimens >14 days post-confirmation of diagnosis. However, using the NAIIS pre-pandemic specimens, the false positivity rate was 1.4% (3/213). / Conclusions: Our results showed overall lower sensitivity and a comparable specificity with the manufacturer’s validation. There appears to be less cross-reactivity with NAIIS pre-pandemic COVID-19 specimens using the xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay. In-country SARS-CoV-2 serology assay validation can help guide the best choice of assays in Africa

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Nigeria in 1995 and 2020: A systematic analysis of current evidence

Improved understanding of the current burden of hypertension, including awareness, treatment, and control, is needed to guide relevant preventative measures in Nigeria. A systematic search of studies on the epidemiology of hypertension in Nigeria, published on or after January 1990, was conducted. The authors employed randomeffects meta-analysis on extracted crude hypertension prevalence, and awareness, treatment, and control rates. Using a meta-regression model, overall hypertension cases in Nigeria in 1995 and 2020 were estimated. Fifty-three studies (n = 78 949) met our selection criteria. Estimated crude prevalence of pre-hypertension (120-139/80-89 mmHg) in Nigeria was 30.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22.0%-39.7%), and the crude prevalence of hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg) was 30.6% (95% CI: 27.3%-34.0%). When adjusted for age, study period, and sample, absolute cases of hypertension increased by 540% among individuals aged ≥20 years from approximately 4.3 million individuals in 1995 (age-adjusted prevalence 8.6%, 95% CI: 6.5-10.7) to 27.5 million individuals with hypertension in 2020 (age-adjusted prevalence 32.5%, 95% CI: 29.8-35.3). The age-adjusted prevalence was only significantly higher among men in 1995, with the gap between both sexes considerably narrowed in 2020. Only 29.0% of cases (95% CI: 19.7-38.3) were aware of their hypertension, 12.0% (95% CI: 2.7-21.2) were on treatment, and 2.8% (95% CI: 0.1-5.7) had at-goal blood pressure in 2020. Our study suggests that hypertension prevalence has substantially increased in Nigeria over the last two decades. Although more persons are aware of their hypertension status, clinical treatment and control rates, however, remain low. These estimates are relevant for clinical care, population, and policy response in Nigeria and across Africa