Incidence and detection of parasitic infections by cyst and ova on fruits and vegetables from different major markets in Kogi, Nigeria

In the course of a study of parasitic infections by cyst and ova on fruits and vegetable sold in middle-belt Nigeria, three different major public markets was selected. Six different fruits and vegetables total to 2406 samples were examined.Data obtained were statistically analyzed using anova for the level of significance difference where appropriate. Of the 1755 fruits examined, 4.3% were positive for parasites ova and 2.5% for cysts. Of the 761 vegetables examined, 4.6% were positive for parasites ova and 2.8% for cysts.The contamination rate of protozoan cyst and ova found are Giardia lamblia (2.61%) Entamoebs histolytica (0.66%). The difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).Cases of contamination rate of protozoan cyst and ova were small compared to helminthic contamination. However, helminths such as Strongylodies stercoralis Trichiuris trachura and Ascaris lumbricoides were predominant in that order. The public health implication on the subjects is discussed. Through washing of all fruits and vegetables with clean water prior to consumption is recommended

Maximizing the Gains of Public Procurement Act for Improved Sustainable Practices in Nigeria

Prior to the enactment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, the Nigerian public procurement practice has been known to be unprofessional, inefficient and ineffective. This was premised on public expenditure management treasury circulars guidelines of 1958. This paper aimed to discuss the gains’ maximization and sustainable indices of the procurement act. It analyzed the modus operandi of this measure which brought into the economic landscape a myriad of short comings due to inadequacies of these guidelines. Against this background, the Obasanjo regime in 1999 commissioned the Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR)and its field report recommended the establishment of the Bureau of Price Monitoring and Intelligence Unit [BPMIU], among others. More so, its operations, the Procurement bill was sent to the National Assembly in 2003/2004. It was passed into Law on 30th May, 2007 and assented by the regime of late Alhaji Umaru Yaradua, on the 4th June, 2007. In all these, this Act has addressed little or no issues on sustainability ever since the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) has been the main driver. The results of the analysis of public procurement act yielded some maximized gains from sustainability indices ranging from environment, standardized norms, eco-friendly awareness, social, economic, innovation, circular, eco-products to health-related issues. It recommended a eurhythmic review of the current public procurement act by a rational juxtaposition process; of Nigerian public procurement act with developed nations’

Analysis of User’s Perception on How to Achieve Thermal Comfort in Kano State Luxury Homes

Luxury homes form an important part of development of urban settings in Nigeria, it is predominantly but not always on one building accommodation spaces that contains all necessary components and style of modern residential units. However, the location of these building largely makes them different in relation to the kind view they offer. The congestion and rapid increase of urban activities in Kano State has resulted to thermal comfort challenges, this problem  have remained stagnant in the air for quite a long time, despite the control in design of buildings that have emerged of recent, there still remains the problem of indoor air quality and humid hot interior spaces that affect building occupants. The main aim of this research is to highlight how User’s perception can be used to achieve thermal comforts in the luxury homes in Kano, which can be accessed through examining the effects of thermal discomfort on building users, assessing the actions of users on thermal comfort challenges, evaluating users response on how thermal comfort can be achieved. After extensive review of literature, a research gap was established. Data was collected from the aforementioned study area through administering questionnaire, observation and personal interview. A qualitative and quantitative research approach was employed; SPSS and MSExcel were used for the quantitative data analysis. Findings revealed Users discomfort level, the adaptation techniques they have adopted and suggesting design considerations and ways to which thermal discomforts can be mitigated. Recommendations were made for designing homes with high level of comforts achieved through the idea of the users of buildings. Conclusion was made on the ease of determining the discomfort level of user, and the importance of incorporating their idea and thinking at the starting point in building designs. Keywords: Discomfort, Luxury homes, Thermal comfort, User’s perceptio

Anti-Anaemic And Hepato–Renal Activities Of Ethanol Leaf Extract Of Alchornea Cordifolia In Phenyl Hydrazine Induced-Anaemic Wistar Rats

The effect of ethanol leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia on some biochemical parameters in phenyl hydrazine-induced anaemic Wistar rats was studied. A total of thirty-six (36) Wistar rats weighing 95-200 g were selected for this study and randomly divided into six groups of six animals per group. Group A (normal control), group B (negative or anaemic) control, group C (standard), group D, E and F (treated groups). Animals in groups B, C, D, E and F were induced with anaemia via intraperitoneal (I.P.) injection of 10mg/kg body weight phenyl hydrazine (PHZ) for 3 days and group A received distilled water in place of the PHZ for the same duration. After the induction, group A and B rats received oral administration 0.9w/v normal saline solution while groups C, D, E and F received oral administration of enzoron (10mg/kg.bwt), 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg.bwt of extract respectively for 14 days. The percentage yield of the extract was determined to be 18%. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, carbohydrates, protein, alkaloids, phytosterols, phynols, flavonoids and glycosides at varying concentrations.A dose of 5000mg/kg. bwt was found to be safe in the LD50 study of the extract. The oral administration of the extract showed a significantly  (p<0.05) level of  total protein (TP)  ,packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) and red blood cells (RBCs) of the animals in treated groups  compared to those of the animals in anaemic groups.The aspartate transaminase (AST),alanine transaminase (ALT)and total bilirubin (TB)were significantly (p<0.05)  lowered in the extract treated groups than  in the anaemic non-treated groups. There was a no-significant decrease (p>0.05) in the serum urea, creatinine, Na+ ,K+  and ,Cl­- of animals in the extract treated groups when  compared to both the normal and standard control . The histology of the spleen revealed the regeneration of damaged cells in extract treated groups unlike that of the anaemic non-treated groups which showed distorted architecture. The study suggests that treatment with Achornea cordifolia leaf extract in phenyl hydrazine induced anaemia enhances anti- anaemic and hepatoprotective effect possibly due to both its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Evaluation of the Nigerian national antiretroviral (ARV) treatment training programme

There is an understanding that greater availability of HIV treatment for the 40.3 million people currently infected with HIV is a humanitarian imperative that could prolong the lives of millions, restore economic productivity, and stabilise societies in some of the world's hardest-hit regions. The Nigerian government recognises that the country has the third highest burden of infection, with people living with HIV estimated to total 4.0 million, and so in 2002 commenced the implementation of one of Africa's largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programmes. A successful ARV programme requires that all components of a functional management system be put in place for effective and efficient functioning. This would include logistics, human resources, financial planning, and monitoring and evaluation systems, as well as sustainable institutional capacities. The Nigerian national ARV treatment training programme was conceived to meet the human resource needs in hospitals providing ARV therapy. This paper reports on the evaluation of the training programme. It examines knowledge and skills gained, and utilisation thereof. Recommendations are made for improved training effectiveness and for specific national policy on training, to meet the demand for scaling up therapy to the thousands who need ARV. Keywords: ARV, training, evaluation, HIV, health care providerJournal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Initiatve Vol. 3 (3) 2006: pp. 488-50

The impact of advocacy and community mobilization on the utilization of health services at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Gindiri.

Primary Health Care facilities provide promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to a community. They may be well built and equipped with adequate resources but grossly underutilized due to several factors. Health records at the Comprehensive Health Centre Gindiri for 2005 were compared with those of 2007 after a wellcoordinated advocacy and mobilization programme in that community. The results show that the total out patient attendance in 2007 increased by 220.6% when compared to that of 2005. 293 patients were admitted into the wards in 2005 compared to 813 in 2007(277%). There was no surgery carried out in the whole of 2005, whereas in 2007 there were 98 surgeries. Advocacy and community mobilization could be important factors in the utilization of primary health service

Sonographic diagnosis of pregnancy and study of gestational changes in rabbit-does

This study was carried out to evaluate early pregnancy diagnosis using ultrasound and baseline information on the sonographic features of the reproductive cycle of  rabbit-doe. Eight adult does, that had kittened at least once and an Ultrasound machine (Medison S600V®) with a 6.5 MHz transcutaneous curve-linear probe, were used for the study. Rabbit-does were mated naturally by the introduction of a doe to a buck. Abdominal regions were shaved liberally from the level of xyphoid cartilage to the pelvic area and aquasonic gel applied. The uterus was scanned on day 5 post-coitus and  thereafter on days 7, 12, 15, 20, 25, 27 and 29, using the bladder as a land mark. Embryonic vesicles, visualized as small anechoic (darkened) structures were first seen on day 7 of gestation. Hypoechoic structures within vesicles corresponding to embryo and placenta were seen on day 12 with an increase in size at day 15 of gestation. Bony formation, bi-parietal diameter, vertebrae column, fetal heart and fetal heart rate were visible with progressive gestational age. This study demonstrated that ultrasound can be used effectively to diagnose pregnancy in rabbit-doe as early as day 7 of gestation. Also there is a correlation between the sonographic observable changes with gestational age.Key words: Ultrasonography, Rabbit, Pregnancy Diagnosis, Gestation

Effect of Processing on Fatty Acid and Phospholipid Compositions of Harms (Brachystegia eurycoma) Seed Grown in Nigeria

A comprehensive study on the effect of processing on fatty acid and phospholipid compositions of Brachystegia eurycoma seed flour was conducted. Processing methods (boiling, fermentation and roasting) were adopted using standard analytical techniques. The most concentrated fatty acids (%) were linoleic acid (47.95 – 50.91) > oleic acid (26.51 – 30.91) > palmitic acid (11.51 – 14.16) > stearic acid (3.06 – 5.54). Lenoceric, erucic, and arachidic acids were present with none of them recording up to 1% while caprylic, capric and margaric acids were not at the detection limit of GC. All the processing methods increased the contents of palmitic, palmitoleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. The oleic acid content was reduced in boiled, fermented and roasted samples by 60.93, 59.97 and 63.77%, respectively. The phospholipid analysis gave result (%) of phosphatidic > phosphatidylinositol > phospatidyserine > phosphatidyethanolamine concentrations. Generally, the processing methods showed deviations in fatty acid and phospholipid components from the raw seeds. There was a clear indication that the raw and processed samples of B. eurycoma seed oils contained a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids, making them a healthy low fat food. Keywords: Brachystegia eurycoma, processing, seed oils, fatty acids, phospholipids

Binge drinking and sexual assault among women in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Alcohol related sexual assault is a growing epidemic world wide that affects mainly women. There is urgent need to empower women to identify behaviors and situations that may predispose them to sexual victimization.Objectives: The study was carried out to determine the relationship between binge drinking and sociodemographic factors. It also assessed the relationship between binge drinking and sexual assault.Methods: The cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Jos North Local Government Area from March to July, 2017. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 272 participants aged 18 years and above who consented after obtaining ethical approval.Results: The total numbers of participants were 272 females with an age range of 18-60 years. The mean age was 28.8 ± 8.6 years. The socio-demographic variables significantly associated with binge drinking were marital status (X2 = 9.847, DF = 2, p = 0.007), educational status (X2 = 10.684, DF = 3, p = 0.014) and employment status (X2= 5.122, DF = 1, p = 0.024). Binge drinking was significantly associated with sexual assault (X2 = 10.732, DF = 1, p = 0.001). Previously married were significantly more likely to binge drink compared with never married and married. Those with no formal education were more likely to binge drink compared to those with tertiary education while the unemployed were less likely to binge drink compared with the employed. The sexually assaulted (P = 0.01, OR = 2.429, CI = 1.419-4.157) were 2 times more likely to binge drink.Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between binge drinking with marital status, employment, lower level of education and sexual assault. Women should be provided with information about the safe level of alcohol consumption and the many consequences of heavy drinking including sexual assault.Keywords: Binge drinking, women, sexual assault, socio-demographic, Jo

Cryptosporidium Infection in Undernourished Children with HIV/AIDS in Jos, Nigeria

Background: AIDS and Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) severely impair the immune system Cryptosporidium has over the last two decades emerged as a life threatening disease. The study attempts to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in malnourished children with HIV/AIDS. Method: Blood and stool samples of 52 HIV-seropositive children and another 52 HIV-sero-negative children aged 0-5 years were collected and screened for HIV and Cryptosporidium oocysts respectively. The sera were screened by double ELISA and the stool by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. Results: Out of the 52 HIV-seropositive undernourished, under-five children, none (0%) excreted Cryptosporidium oocyst in their stools while 2 (3.8%) of the control group excreted the oocyst. Conclusion: Cryptosporidium infection seems to be uncommon among undernourished under five children with HIV/AIDS in Jos