Experimental evaluation of the impact of maternal consumption of aqueous leaf extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus on pregnancy in Sprague dawley rats

The impact of aqueous leaf extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus (HEaq) on pregnancy factors and litter survival was investigated in Sprague Dawley (SD) rat. Control group received distilled water while the test group received 2g/kg body weight of HEaq orally. Blood samples were collected on days one and twenty of pregnancy for total blood count, serumthyroid hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) assay. Half the number of rats in each group was sacrificed on day nineteen of pregnancy and the placenta and foetus were removed and weighed. The second half carried their pregnancy to term. Number and weights of litter were recorded at birth and the litter were alsosubjected to righting reflex test. Post-natal survival rate was determined for each group while effect of HEaq was also examined in-vivo on the activities of pregnant myometrial muscle. HEaq significantly decreased (p<0.05) foetal weight, placenta weight, foetal growth and survival, number and weights of litter at birth, maternal serum triiodotyroxine T3 and TSHlevel. Mean corpuscular haemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelet count and lipid profile were significantly increased (P<0.05). HEaq increased the frequency and percentage contraction of gravid myometrial muscle in a dose dependent manner. Maternal consumption of aqueous leaf extract of Hybanthus enneaspermus adversely affected pregnancy and development of the foetus, as it precipitated resorption of developing foetus and reduced size and weight of litter at term

Effect of Water-Cement Ratio on the Mechanical Properties of Blended Cement Containing Bottom Ash and Limestone

This paper presents investigation on the effect of water requirement on compressive/ flexural strength of hardened cement mortar of ordinary portland cement (OPC) blended with 10% Limestone (L) and 10% coal bottom ash (BA) by weight  ( 80C- 10L-10 BA). The water-cement ratio is one of the most important parameters that affect the performance (mechanical properties) of mortar, thus obtaining the best water requirement translates to the best mechanical properties. Class C bottom ash and Limestone (L) were used to partially replace Portland cement at 10% each by weight. The blended cement containing limestone and coal bottom ash and OPC were prepared at different water-cement ratios ranging from 0.35 to 0.55. Mortar mixtures were prepared for the blended cement and OPC control. 2, 7, 28, 60 days-compressive and flexural strengths of the mortar mixtures were determined. The strength results were compared to those of OPC and relative strengths are reported. It was observed that the compressive/flexural strength in comparison with the OPC control at water-cement ratio w/c = 0.4 was equivalent while at 0.45 and 0.50, the compressive strength experienced a reduction followed by compressive strength increment at 0.55. This can be attributed to the slow nature of the pozzolanic reaction which did not show effect until the water-cement ratio reached 0.55. But after 7 days, the pozzolanic reaction showed its effect with increment in flexural and compressive strength all through. At 28 days the compressive and flexural strengths were 40.85MPa and 9.34MPa respectively which were higher than OPC control for compressive and flexural strength of 33.85MPa and 8.92MPa respectively. It was observed that as the water-cement ratio was increased from 0.40 to 0.55 both blended cement and the control experienced increment in the compressive and flexural strength. Keywords: Compressive / Flexural strength, Water-cement ratio, Bottom ash, Limestone, Ternary cemen