Physiological Response Of Laying Birds To Neem (Azadirachta Indica) Leaf Meal-Based Diets: Body Weight Organ Characteristics And Haematology

A 12-weeks feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of Neem (Azadirachta indica) leafmeal (NLM) on body weight gain, carcass and organ characteristics and haematological values of laying hens. The leaves were harvested, chopped to facilitate drying in the sun until they became crispy but still greenish in coloration. The Sun-dried leaves were milled using a hammer mill to produce the leaf meal. Four layers diets were formulated to contain the NLM at 0%,5%, 10% and 15% dietary levels respectively and were used to feed 120 Shikka brown layers already 10 months in lay. The birds were divided into 4 groups of 30 each and randomly assigned to the 4 treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). NLM did not show any appreciable difference in weight gain between the birds at 0% and those at 5%, 10% dietary levels. Carcass weight, dressed weight, liver, heart and gizzard weights were significantly (P<0.05) increased at 5% dietary level of NLM. There were no significant difference in Hb and PCV between birds on O% and 5% treatment diets. However, these differed significantly (P<0.05%) from those of birds on 10% and 15% treatment diets. There were variations in the differential WB count , marked lymphocytopenia adversely affected the total leucocyte counts in the birds on 5%, 10% and 15% treatment diets. The results of this study suggest that laying birds could tolerate 5%- 15% dietary levels of NLM without deleterious effects

Breast cancer screening practices of African migrant women in Australia: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Background: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, globally. Breast cancer mortality can be improved through routine cancer screening, yet migrant populations have lower participation rates. While African migrants are among the fastest growing migrant population in Australia, their breast cancer screening behaviour is under-studied. The aims of this study were to report breast cancer screening status of African migrant women and factors associated with their breast cancer screening behaviour in Australia. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional approach was utilised for this study. Two hundred and sixty four African migrant women aged 18–69 years and recruited from a number of organisations responded to a self-reported African version of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (BCSBQ). Main research variables are breast cancer screening practices and demographic characteristics and total scores on each of the BCSBQ subscales. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the impact of the demographic variables on the likelihood of women in the target age range 50–74 years having screening practices as recommended. Results: While most of the participants heard of breast awareness (76.1%) and mammogram (85.2%), only 11.4% practised monthly breast awareness, whereas 65.9% had ever had a mammogram as frequently as recommended. Age and employment were determining factors for participating in mammogram. Significant different scores were found in the “Practical barriers” between women at the target age who had and had not performed breast awareness (80.4 versus 77.5, p-value = 0.002) and mammogram (77.1 versus 70.3, p-value = 0.009) regularly as recommended. Moreover, attitudes towards general health check-ups subscale scores were significantly higher in women who had performed clinical breast examination as frequently as recommended than those who had not. Conclusions: The research reveals that practical barriers and attitudes towards general health check-ups are important factors to take into account in determining African migrant women’s participation in breast cancer screening. Progress in reducing breast cancer deaths through early detection needs to focus on attitudinal change among African migrants.published_or_final_versio

Distribution Pattern of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Soils in the Vicinity of Fuel Stations in Abraka, Nigeria

The concentration and pattern of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in top and bottom soil in the vicinity of fuel stations in Abraka Nigeria, using gas chromotograph (GC) Hawleth Packard 6890. Analysis of results show that sample D(0.03979mg.kg-1)&gt;C(0.01592mg.kg-1)&gt;A(0.01155mg.kg-1)&gt;B(0.00325mg.kg-1)&gt;E (0.00191mg.kg-1). Investigation also reveals that all tested samples are contaminated, with mean values ranging between 0.000207±0.00026mg.kg-1 and 0.002123±0.00303mg.kg-1. Similarly, spearmen’s rank correlation coefficient (SRCC) of sample points At/Ab (0.99), Bt/Bb (0.99), Ct/Cb (0.98), Dt/Db (0.96) and Et/Eb (0.98) show a high and positive correlation between contaminants from top and bottom soil in each sample point. Molecular ratio analyses also show that petroleum origin is the chief source of PAHs contamination in all samples except in the control that is characterized with pyrogenic and petrogenic source. @JASEMKeywords: PAHs, soil Contamination, AbrakaJ. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. Sept, 2011, Vol. 15 (3) 513 - 51

Tooth loss: Are the patients prepared?

Background and Aim: Tooth loss is associated with esthetic, functional, psychological, and social impacts on the life of individuals. This study was designed to find out how Nigerians feel about losing their teeth and what effects, if any, this has on their lives. Most of the problems presented to the dentist as difficult denture tolerance could be as a result of the emotional effects of tooth loss rather than problems from the denture itself.Materials and Methods: The study was carried using a self-administered questionnaire to consenting adult patients undergoing tooth extraction at the Oral and Maxillofacial Clinic, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS, version 15.5.Results: A total of 90 respondents completed the questionnaires; 35 (27.6%) were males while 55 (43.3%) were females. The respondents were aged 0&#8211;70 years. Immediate acceptance of tooth loss was noted in 88 (69.3%) cases, but 6 (47%) accepted the loss only after 1 year, while 8 (6.3%) of the cases found it difficult to accept losing their teeth and incidentally, all of them were 30 years and above. Only 52 (40.9%) of the patients were prepared for the emotional effect of losing their teeth. A feeling of relief immediately following tooth extraction was expressed by 75 (43.9%) cases and of these 32 (47.8%) were females. The emotional effects following teeth loss were sadness 22 (12.9%) cases, depression in 11 (6.4%), feeling of losing body part in 24 (14%), feeling of aging in 4 (2.3%), while 13 (7.6%) respondents felt unconcerned.Conclusion: We observed that emotional effects of tooth loss are also experienced among our patients with a range of emotions quite similar to those observed by previous authors from the developed world. The significant number of patients that failed to come to terms with their tooth loss indicates that the effect of tooth loss on self-esteem and selfimage is not short lived as it has been assumed

Arthropod-Associated Skin Diseases among Occupants of Five Designated Junior Staffs\' Quarters in Owerri and Enugu, Nigeria

A total of 650 residents from 5 designated junior staffs' quarters in Owerri and Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria were visually examined for arthropod-associated skin diseases between May 2005 and June 2006. Overall, 428 (65.8%) were affected, but prevalence differed according to residence (58.74%), gender (65.30%), age-group (64.88%) and crowding index (62.80%). Scabies was observed on about 46% of the affected individuals, followed by Pediculosis (33%), Tungiasis (11%) and Bedbug-related infection (10%). Tungiasis was dependent on residence but independent of gender, age-group and crowding index. Scabies was dependent on residence and age-group but not on gender and crowding index. Pediculosis was dependent on age-group but independent of residence, gender and crowding index (P>0.05). Bedbug-related infection was however dependent on residence but not on gender, age and crowding index. Keywords: Arthropod, Skin diseases, Socio-economic status, ResidentsBio-Research Vol. 6 (2) 2008: pp.359-36

The geometric sense of R. Sasaki connection

For the Riemannian manifold $M^{n}$ two special connections on the sum of the tangent bundle $TM^{n}$ and the trivial one-dimensional bundle are constructed. These connections are flat if and only if the space $M^{n}$ has a constant sectional curvature $\pm 1$. The geometric explanation of this property is given. This construction gives a coordinate free many-dimensional generalization of the connection from the paper: R. Sasaki 1979 Soliton equations and pseudospherical surfaces, Nuclear Phys., {\bf 154 B}, pp. 343-357. It is shown that these connections are in close relation with the imbedding of $M^{n}$ into Euclidean or pseudoeuclidean $(n+1)$-dimension spaces.Comment: 7 pages, the key reference to the paper of Min-Oo is included in the second versio

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae isolated from clinical specimens in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Background: Infection by Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs) producing bacteria is a threat to man as a consequence of treatment challenges. This study evaluated the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of ESBL producing Klebsiellae (EPK) in clinical specimens at the University of Ilorin Teaching hospital, Ilorin (UITH), Nigeria.Methods: ESBL production was assayed using Double Discs Synergy Test (DDST). Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by Modified Kirby- Baeur method with the organism tested against ceftazidime (30μg), cefotaxime (30μg), amoxicillin-clavulinic acid (20/10μg), cefepime (30μg), ciprofloxacin (5μg), gentamicin (10μg), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (23.75/1.25μg), imipenem (10μg) and doripenem (10μg) (Oxoid, UK).Results: Fifty (26.7%) of the 187 Klebsiellae studied were EPK comprising of 37(26.8%) Klebsiella pneumoniae and 13(26.5%) Klebsiella oxytoca. EPK were mostly from wound specimens (24.0%) although Klebsiellae were mostly occurring in sputum (26.2%). The EPK were resistant to ceftazidime (100%), cefotaxime (94.0%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (92.0%), gentamicin (70.0%) and ciprofloxacin (70.0%) but 100% susceptible to both doripenem and imipenem.Conclusion: The prevalence of EPK in this study is high and they are multi-drug resistant. Carbapenems are the best antibiotic treatment option for infections arising from these organisms although a coordinated rational usage is desired along with functional antibiotic prescription policy to avoid treatment failures. Continuous surveillance for ESBL producing Klebsiellae and resistance monitoring are necessary routine to strengthen infection control policies.Keywords; ESBL, cephalosporins, Klebsiella, antibiotics susceptibility, drug resistance

Selected indigenous wild fruits influence on feeding behaviour of captive olive baboons (Papio anubis. Lesson, 1827))

Feeding behaviour of captive male olive baboons was studied in a 200 feeding trial using five selected indigenous fruits: Strychnos spinosa (SS), Nuclear latifolia (NL), Piliostigma thonningii (PT), Detarium macrocarpum (DM) and Adansonia digitata (AD), categorized into large, medium and small sizes with a view to foster this animal ex-situ conservation. The fruits were harvested fresh and served on the floor of the cages in-between morning and afternoon routine feeding. Data were collected on fruit choice to determine fruits preference; time spent to remove or break the fruits pericarp; and the position of the animal while eating. This study shows that fruits preference was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) influenced. It followed the order: DM&gt;NL&gt;PT&gt;SS&gt;AD. Experimental Olive baboons picked small fruits ahead of others irrespective of their nutritional quality. Time spent to remove or break the fruits pericarp were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) influenced. On eighty-nine occasions, captive Olive baboons preferred hanging on the cages walls while eaten. For sustainable conservation of this fauna species, more research on its feeding behaviour with respect to these fruits shape, weight and colour is encouraged.  Key Words: Olive baboons, Conservation, Feeding behaviour, Wild fruit