Urban Sprawl: Environmental Consequence of Rapid Urban Expansion

Urban Sprawl is a disturbing issue to geographers, urban planners and allied professionals in the 21st century.  The anxiety is based mainly on the social, political, economic, cultural and environmental consequences of rapid urban growth.  Hence, this study examines the reasons for urbanization, as well as encroachment of urban development into the border belt.  Next, the study probes into the causes, consequences and adverse effects of uncontrolled infringement and conversion of rural land to urban uses.  Likewise, the study investigates the processes of land use development, population expansion and physical growth, as well as their ecological foot prints.  Consequently, the study identified the major causes of urban sprawl as rapid population increase, high level of urban development pressure, provision of housing, changes in living standard, as well as technological changes among others.  Also, the study found out that urban sprawl is desirable because of the benefits of spread of development, low rent at the periphery, as well as lesser pressure on the environment of the border belt.  Also, the effects of urban sprawl were recognized as destruction of the means of livelihood of the rural dwellers at the urban fringe belt, land fragmentation, food scarcity, changes in the ecosystem, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, as well as loss of wildlife habitat.  For the achievement of sustainable urban development in the 21st century and beyond, the study recommends environmental monitoring with the aid of geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques, environmental impact assessment, development control, farm land policy, regulation of land allocation, sustainable land use management, as well as enforcement of planning policies

In vitro antioxidant properties and GC-MS analysis of solvent extracts of Sida acuta leaf

Background & Aim: Active search for plants with diverse antioxidant and pharmacological properties capable of counteracting the deleterious effects of free radical-mediated pathologies, is still evolving. The current study investigates the phytochemical screening, antioxidant mechanisms and gas-chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis of leaf extract of Sida acuta. Experimental: Powdered leaves of the plant was extracted in ethanol, methanol and water. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents of the extracts were measured using established protocols. Also, free radical scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide radicals (NO•.) as well as the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay were also evaluated. Furthermore, the structure and relative abundance of bioactive compounds in the methanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta was determined on GC-MS. Results: Results indicated that the total phenol and flavonoids content is significantly (P aqueous> ethanolic, while the aqueous extract elicits significant NO• radical scavenging properties when compared with other solvents. The GC-MS chromatogram of the methanolic leaf extract of the plant reveals the presence of 23 bioactive compounds. Taking together, the relative abundance of phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity of Sida acuta leaves is partly contingent on the choice of extraction solvent. Recommended applications/industries: The presence of various bioactive compounds justifies the use of the plant for diverse remedies in traditional medicine and the need for further studies

Paediatric brought-in-dead at a tertiary health facility in South western Nigeria: Patterns and drivers

Background: ‘Brought- in-dead’ (BID) refers to the demise of an individual before presentation to a health facility. This study assessed the pattern of paediatric BID cases seen at a tertiary health facility in southwest Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was done at the Children Emergency Ward (CEW) of the hospital between January 2014 and December 2018. The patterns of BID cases and presumed causes of death were determined using a standardized checklist adapted from the WHO verbal autopsy instrument. Results: Ninety-eight BID cases were seen during the study, constituting 2.5% of total patients seen during the period. The median (IQR) age of cases was 24.0 (8.75 – 63.0) months and 72.4% were under-fives. Most had symptoms related to the haematologic (36.7%), respiratory (24.5%) or digestive (20.4%) systems. Severe anaemia 31(31.6%), gastroenteritis 19 (19.4) and aspiration 17 (17.3%) were the most common causes of death. The median (IQR) duration of illness before presentation was 3.0 (1.0 – 7.0) days but most presented from 4 – 7 days of illness. A significant relationship was found between the duration of illness and whether or not pre-hospital treatment was received (p < 0.0001). Unprescribed drugs purchased over the counter were the most commonly used treatment in 79.1% of cases (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study has highlighted the prevalence and pattern of paediatric BID in a tertiary health facility in southwest Nigeria and the factors that were associated with it. More efforts need to be geared towards community sensitization and pediatric health care to prevent factors drivingits menace

Predictors and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia in Lagos, Nigeria

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the current public health concern. Hypoxemia has been identified as an independent risk factor for mortality in COVID-19 patients regardless of age or sex. This study therefore aimed to assess the profile of COVID-19 patients with hypoxemia in Lagos, Nigeria and identify their associated socio-demographic and clinical risk factors, predictors, and outcomes.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study in which data were extracted from medical records of real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed COVID-19 positive patients admitted between April and October 2020. Data extracted included age, sex, comorbidities, disease category/classification, symptoms, lowest oxygen saturation (SPO2), and outcomes. Bivariate analysis was done to test associations between hypoxemia and other variables. Multivariate analysis was done to determine significant predictors of hypoxemia.Results: A total of 266 patients were included in the study; mean (SD) 49.80 (± 16.68) years. Hypoxemia (lowest SPO2 ≤ 90 in adults and < 92% in children) was found in 102 (38.3 %) of the cases. SPO2 of hypoxemic patients ranged from 33% to 90%, Mean ±SD of 77±13%. About half of the hypoxemic cases, 53 (52%) were ≥ 60 years and mostly male 70 (68.6%). Difficulty breathing was present in 56 (55%), while the common comorbidities were hypertension 86 (32.3%) and diabetes mellitus 47 (17.7%). Age ≥ 60, difficulty breathing, and fever were independent predictors of hypoxemia. Hypoxemia was significantly associated with death (X2-42.13; P < 0.001); odds ratio 14.5 (95% CI: 5.4–38.8).Conclusion: Hypoxemia occurred in 1 out of every 3 COVID-19 patients with poor prognosis. SPO2 monitoring and early presentation in hospital for those 60 years and above or with dyspnea may be essential for early identification and treatment of hypoxemia to reduce mortality