The Growth Pattern of Infants (0 - 12 Months) in a Rural Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

The growth pattern of two hundred and fifty infants attending the University of Port Harcourt, Primary Health Care Centre, Aluu was studied. Infant's aged 0 - 4 months had a growth curve similar to that of National Centre for Health Statistics 50th centile standard. After this age, the growth pattern fell below the 50th centile of the aforementioned standard. The decline in growth was more pronounced during the weaning period. Most of the infants were found to be short in height. @JASE

The effect of nicotine on the lung following chronic tobacco use

Effects of nicotine in cigarette on the peak expiratory flow rate in human subjects was studied. Nicotine is of considerable medical significance because of its presence in tobacco. 50 human subjects were divided into 2 groups viz smokers and non smokers. The test group who are smokers consisted of subjects that had smoked cigarette for not less than 5 years at about 10 sticks or more per day. The control or non smokers consisted of subjects that had never smoked. The peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured using the peak expiratory flow meter in all the subjects. Each subject had three measurements of the peak expiratory flow rate. The mean value was further calculated for each group i.e the test group (smoker) and control (non-smokers). The mean PEFR for smokers obtained in this study was 338.90 ± 5.00 litres/min whereas the mean for non-smokers was 418.20 ±4.00 litres/mins. At P £ 0.01, there was a significant difference between the mean PEFR value of the smokers and non-smokers. Smokers had significant reduction in the PEFR measured in this research. The reduced PEFR is an indication of air flow obstruction and may explain deterioration to emphysema seen in chronic chain smokers. Nicotine is known to produce an initial stimulant phase at autonomic ganglia and neuromuscular junction followed rapidly by neuromuscular blockade and receptor desensitization. The findings of this study are in concordance with the high rate of death due to emphysema in smokers and justify current measures aimed at discouraging cigarette smoking. Keywords: Nicotine, Cigarette Smokers, Peak Expiratory Flowrate. AJAZEB Vol. 6 2004: pp. 11-1

The Growth Pattern of Infants (0 - 12 Months) in a Rural Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

The growth pattern of two hundred and fifty infants attending the University of Port Harcourt, Primary Health Care Centre, Aluu was studied. Infant's aged 0 - 4 months had a growth curve similar to that of National Centre for Health Statistics 50th centile standard. After this age, the growth pattern fell below the 50th centile of the aforementioned standard. The decline in growth was more pronounced during the weaning period. Most of the infants were found to be short in height. @JASE

The growth pattern of infants (0 - 1Volume 6 Number 2, 20022 months) in a rural area of rivers state, Nigeria

The growth pattern of two hundred and fifty infants attending the University of Port Harcourt, Primary Health Care Centre, Aluu was studied. Infant's aged 0 – 4 months had a growth curve similar to that of National Centre for Health Statistics 50th centile standard. After this age, the growth pattern fell below the 50th centile of the aforementioned standard. The decline in growth was more pronounced during the weaning period. Most of the infants were found to be short in height. (Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management: 2002 6(2): 67-70

A study of cardiovascular and respiratory parameters in obese and non-obese subjects resident in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The cardiovascular and respiratory parameters of obese and non-obese residents in Port Harcourt were studied using the University of Port Harcourt as a case study. The aim was to investigate the effect of obesity on the above -mentioned parameters. A total forty subjects (twenty males and twenty females) were used for the study. Twenty of the subjects were obese while the other twenty were non-obese and served as the control. Their ages ranged between eighteen and forty years. The parameters studied were body mass index, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). The results of the investigation revealed a significantly higher heart rate, higher blood pressure, higher respiratory rate and peak expiratory flow rate among the obese subjects when compared to those of the non-obese subjects. This shows that obesity has effects on the cardio respiratory fitness of obese people. Keywords: cardiovascular parameters, respiratory parameters, obesity. AJAZEB Vol. 7 2005: pp. 11-1

The effect of dietary fibre on transit time in rats

A study was carried out on the effect of dietary fibre of some high fibre containing Nigerian foods on transit time in rats. Rats were used as human model. Dietary fibre from coconut (Cocus nucifera), Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), pumpkin leaf (Telfaria occidentalis) and ‘Afang' (Gnetum africanus), were extracted and fed to albino Wistar strain rats. The result showed pumpkin leaf fibre (Telfaria occidentalis) having the greatest transit time of 91 ± 1.4% followed by coconut fibre (cocus nucifera) with a transit time of 86 ± 5.6% and cowpea fibre (Vigna unguiculata), 81 ± 3.5%. The transit time of ‘Afang'(Gnetum africanus) was least (74 ± 5.6%). Keywords: Dietary fibre, Transit time. AJAZEB Vol. 7 2005: pp. 45-4