Effect of formaldehyde on the upper respiratory tract _ormal flora of humans and rabbits

Background: Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used to fix a tissue after death or removal from the body to prevent autolysis and putrefaction. Exposure to formaldehyde can occur as a result of occupation. Objective: To determine the effect of the formaldehyde on the throat and nasal flora of upper respiratory tract of rabbits and humans were examined in this study. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the College of Health Sciences (Mercylandcampus) and Teaching Hospital of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo. Ten rabbits and 25 human subjects were used. Throat and nasal swabs were taken from these rabbits exposed todifferent concentrations of formaldehyde and human subjects exposed to formaldehyde as a result of occupational exposure and non exposed individuals. Bacterial count was done using Miles and Mistral method. Microbial culture was done using the traditional cultural techniques.Results: Culture yielded growth of different species of microorganisms, majority of which were bacterial species. Bacterial counts showed reductions both in normal flora of upper respiratory tract of rabbits and humans. The reduction in the normal flora of humans was found to be statistically significant. While reduction in the normal flora of rabbits was significant when compared between controls and those exposed to 10% formaldehyde, but were not significant between controls andthose exposed to 100% formaldehyde. Conclusion: This study concluded that there was significant reduction in the normal flora ofhumans and rabbits exposed to formaldehyde compared to non-exposed humans and rabbits.Key words: Formalin, formaldehyde, normal flora, Upper respiratory trac

Appraisal of Natural Durability of a Lesser – Known Boscia anguistifolia (A. Rich) Wood Using Ground Contact Test

The optimal utilization of lesser-known wood species is dependent on their natural durability. In this study, the natural durability of a lesser-known wood species (Boscia anguistifolia) using ground contact test was carried out. Wood blocks of Boscia anguistifolia and Ceiba petandra (reference species) with dimensions of 20 x 20 x 300 mm were obtained from the axial and radial direction of the trees. The wood blocks were conditioned and their moisture content determined before exposure to ground contact for 12 weeks after which their weight loss was determined. Data obtained were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 probability level. The moisture content of B. anguistifolia and C. petandra ranged from 12.80 – 18.02 % and 12.73- 16.63%, respectively while the weight loss of B. anguistifolia and C. petandra ranged from 5.10 – 69.11% and 37 – 50 % respectively along the axial position. It was observed that the core wood in the base portion of B. anguistifolia has the lowest weight loss value of 5.10% while the reference species has a value of 39.73%. Conclusively, B. anguistifolia is moderately durable at the base part of the species when compared with the reference non-durable species used in this study

Water Absorption Characteristics of Two Rattan Species (Laccosperma Secundiflorum and Eremospatha Macrocarpa) from Fresh Water Swamp, Lagos State and Rain Forest, Edo State, Nigeria

Water Absorption is one of the properties that determine the suitability of rattan canes as structural material especially for outdoor use. This study therefore evaluated the water absorption characteristics of two rattan species (laccosperma secundiflorum and eremospatha macrocarpa) from a fresh water swamp, Arapagi village, Lagos state and rain forest-Nicholas village, Edo state in Nigeria by collecting three matured wild rattan species from each ecological location and the water absorption carried out after 24 hours and 48 hours respectively. The results show that, water absorption after 24 hours ranged from 39.63 % to 82.51%. However, water absorption after 48hours increased from 44.53 % to 93.74 %. It was also observed that water absorption after 24 hours and 48 hours increased along the axial direction from base to top. Meanwhile, the samples of the two rattan species sourced from Rain forest had lower water absorption values than Fresh water swamp. In conclusion, the two rattan species had different levels of water affinity, however, samples obtained at the base from Rain forest absorbed less water

Comparative Evaluation of Fodder Yield and Leaf Quality of Some Selected Tree Species

Abstract Tropical trees had served a wide range of purpose from supply of timber, fuel wood, pulp and fibre through to fodder, gum, drugs, and dyes. This study considered the fodder yield and leaf quality of three fodder tree species namely: Moringa oleifera, Albizia lebbeck and Gmelina arborea at seedling stage. The experiment was carried out in polythene pot laid out in a completely randomized design with ten replications. Study spanned over a period of twelve weeks. Seedlings were assessed for plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter. Leaf quality parameters assessed were elemental nutrient and proximate composition. Results obtained from the study showed that Moringa oleifera gave the highest mean plant height and mean stem diameter of 30.93cm and 3.52mm respectively while Gmelina arborea recorded the highest mean number of leaves (8.10) over the study period. Leaf quality analysis revealed that Albizia lebbeck leaves were richest in potassium and copper with values of 5.53% and 24.23mg/g respectively. Moringa oleifera was least in potassium content (4.55%). Proximate analysis result indicated that Moringa oleifera had the highest crude protein content of 17.88% while Albizia lebbeck was best in crude fibre content (2.00%). All three tree species recorded no significant difference in dry matter content of 45.08%, 45.00% and 45.63% respectively. These tree species should be encouraged within the farming system of farmer to aid animal production

Preservatve Potentials of Datura metel Seed Oil on Triplochiton scleroxylon Wood (Schumann)against Fungal Attack

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the potential of extracted Datura metel seed oil as a  bio wood preservative against fungi attack as reports have shown bio-preservatives to be toxic free and environmentally friendly. The oil was extracted from the seed by Soxhlet apparatus using N-Hexane and ethanol solvents and using volume-to-volume method of dilution kerosene (at 50%) was added to increase its quantity thereafter. The phytochemical screening of the seed of Datura metel revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and phenols. Wood samples of Triplochiton sceleroxylon  were cut to 20 × 20 × 60mm and the dimensioned wood samples were soaked for 72 hours in the seed oil extract hence preservative absorption rate and percentage weight loss of wood  was determined on exposure to a purely cultured Sclerotium rolfsil (brown rot fungi) and Pleurotus ostreatus(white rot fungi). Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance at α0.05 and the results showed the highest value of mean weight loss of 18.29% while the samples exposed to brown rot fungi has a mean value of 14.12% and white rot a lowest mean value of 12.72%. The highest absorption was observed to be 92.73 kg/m at 100 % concentration level of D,metel extract.  Based on the results obtained, the seed-oil extracts of Datura metel have the potential of being an effective wood preservative

Maternal and child health interventions in Nigeria: a systematic review of published studies from 1990 to 2014

BACKGROUND: Poor maternal and child health indicators have been reported in Nigeria since the 1990s. Many interventions have been instituted to reverse the trend and ensure that Nigeria is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. This systematic review aims at describing and indirectly measuring the effect of the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) interventions implemented in Nigeria from 1990 to 2014. METHODS: PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched from 1990 to April 2014 whereas POPLINE® was searched until 16 February 2015 to identify reports of interventions targeting Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Nigeria. Narrative and graphical synthesis was done by integrating the results of extracted studies with trends of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and under five mortality (U5MR) derived from a joint point regression analysis using Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data (1990-2013). This was supplemented by document analysis of policies, guidelines and strategies of the Federal Ministry of Health developed for Nigeria during the same period. RESULTS: We identified 66 eligible studies from 2,662 studies. Three interventions were deployed nationwide and the remainder at the regional level. Multiple study designs were employed in the enrolled studies: pre- and post-intervention or quasi-experimental (n = 40; 61%); clinical trials (n = 6;9%); cohort study or longitudinal evaluation (n = 3;5%); process/output/outcome evaluation (n = 17;26%). The national MMR shows a consistent reduction (Annual Percentage Change (APC) = -3.10%, 95% CI: -5.20 to -1.00 %) with marked decrease in the slope observed in the period with a cluster of published studies (2004-2014). Fifteen intervention studies specifically targeting under-five children were published during the 24 years of observation. A statistically insignificant downward trend in the U5MR was observed (APC = -1.25%, 95% CI: -4.70 to 2.40%) coinciding with publication of most of the studies and development of MNCH policies. CONCLUSIONS: The development of MNCH policies, implementation and publication of interventions corresponds with the downward trend of maternal and child mortality in Nigeria. This systematic review has also shown that more MNCH intervention research and publications of findings is required to generate local and relevant evidence

An Examination of Language Use in Contemporary Nigerian Advertisement Copy Messages

Various forms of language are often used by advertisers of goods and services to capture the attention of the target audience or prospective customers, to arouse their interest, to make them desire the advertised goods and services and ultimately to make them demand for them. This paper presents the outcome of a study and analysis of 80 randomly selected contemporary Nigerian advertisements. The study/analysis shows that seven out of the eighty adverts i.e.9% use personification. Eleven out of eighty i.e. 14% use alliteration. Thirteen out of eighty i.e. 16% use ambiguous language. Eight out of eighty i.e. 10% use indigenous language. Six out of eight, i.e. 8% use Nigerian Pidgin. Four out of eighty i.e. 5% use faulty language. Seven out of eighty (9%) use pun. One advert each i.e. 1% each use simile, climax and sexist language. The remaining twenty i.e. 25% use simple or plain language. Keywords: Language Use in Nigerian Advertisement Messages MARANG Vol. 18 2008 pp. 37-4

Prevalence of Plasmodial Parasiteamia among Blood Donors in Lagos, Nigeria

The risk of transfusion of malaria parasite was studied in 500 blood donors in four major hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. Blood donors within the age range of 18 – 50 were screened for malaria parasite between January and August 2004. Of these 82 (16.4%) were positive for malaria parasite with P. falciparum accounting for 73 (89%) and P. malariae 9 (11%). More males 54 (65.8%) were infected than the female 28 (34%) (P>0.05). The relationship between heamoglobin genotype and infection rate was also determined. Donors with heamoglobin genotype AA were the most infected 113 (47.48%), followed by AC heterologous donors accounting for 40 (27.97%), while the least infected donors were those with hemoglobin genotype AS. This study also gives a fair representative degree of sub clinical infection rate, since donors are usually judged to be healthy. It is therefore recommended that as a duty and routine it is imperative to screen blood for infectious agents, such as malaria parasite before transfusion to avoid malaria infection of otherwise aneamic patients. Keywords: Plasmodium, Parasitaemia, blood donors, Lagos. Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 6 (2) 2007: pp. 61-6

Design and Development of a Pineapple Peeling Machine

The objective of this research aimed to design, modify and develop a manually operated cost effective pineapple peeling and coring machine with a reduced time of operation, easy to operate and maintain. The material of construction is stainless steel. The designed pineapple peeling and coring machine has two cylindrical cutting blades which simultaneously removes pineapple skin and core. Other components included; spring coring plate, core remover, and spring loaded handle. The peeling operation includes; cutting of crown and bottom of pineapple with a knife, placing pineapple on coring plate and applying pressure to spring loaded handle downward over the pineapple to operate cylindrical cutting blades, which removes skin and core. The data collected from machine evaluation was subjected to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) test and means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) with sixteen samples of smooth leaf (cayenne) pineapple Specie used. The performance of pineapple peeling machine is primary founded on the peeling efficiency of the machine which is an arrangement between high cutting efficiency of peeling machine, weight of peel and core of pineapple, which is total weight removed and the time taken to peel. The result shows that the highest and most efficiency peeling time of pineapple by the machine was recorded at 11 seconds with 94.1 % efficiency, yielding a machine capacity of 327.6 Kg /hr. Hence the pineapple peeling machine can effectively peel pineapples. For more machine efficiency cutting blade should be adjustable