Metal complexes as potential ligands : the deprotonation of aminephenolate metal complexes

The cationic nickel, copper and zinc complexes of tris-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-aminoethylamine (H6TrenSal) have been deprotonated using potassium hydroxide. The nickel complex can be sequentially deprotonated to form a series of compounds namely, [(H6TrenSal)Ni]+, [(H6TrenSal)Ni] and "[(H6TrenSal)Ni]K". The latter is isolated as a mixture of species namely [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)]2, [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)2-μ-OH2]2 and [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)2-μ-EtOH]2, which co-crystallise in a roughly 50:27.5:22.5 ratio. In contrast the deprotonation of [(H6TrenSal)M]+ (M = Cu, Zn) results in the formation of tetrameric complexes [({(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(OH2)2)4(μ4-OH2)]

Prevalence of Candida albicans and Trichomonas vaginalis infection among women presenting with vaginitis in Jama'a Hospital, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria

Background: Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) is a fungal infection of the female lower genital tract and it is commonly caused by Candida albicans. Complications of untreated VVC include abortion, preterm delivery, menstrual disorders and infertility. Trichomoniasis is caused by parasitic protozoa called Trichomonas vaginalis. Trichomoniasis is associated with vulvovaginal erythema and frothy yellow-gray or green vaginal discharge. The research aimed to determine the prevalence of Candida albicans and Trichomonas vaginalis infections among women presenting with vaginitis in Jama'a Hospital, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria.Methods: A Total of 100 samples were collected from female patients using sterile swab sticks. The samples were screened for Candida albicans and Trichomonas vaginalis using cultural and microscopic tests. Structured questionnaires were used to collect relevant data on socio-demographic factors, risk factors, signs and symptoms of the infection from the women.Results: It was observed that (38%) of the women were positive for Candida albicans and(2%) positive for Trichomonas vaginalis. It was also noted that women within age group 36-40 years had highest prevalence of Candida albicans (57.1%). Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis among age group 26-30 years was 4.3% and 11.1%among age group 31-35 years. Candida albicans was found to be more prevalent among single women (39.6%), non-pregnant women (39.1%), and students (47.8%) compared to married women (36.5%), pregnant women (25.0%), and non-students 30.0% respectively. Non-pregnant women had the higher prevalence of C. albicans(39.1%), compared to pregnant women with prevalence of 25.0%. Prevalence of T. vaginalis among non-pregnant women was 2.2% and no prevalence was recorded among the pregnant women. Those with multiple sex partners had C. albicans prevalence of 46.7% and T. vaginalis was 2.2%. Patients with vaginal discharges had C.albicans prevalence of 40.0%, and 3.1% for T. vaginalis. Patients with dyspareunia had C. albicans prevalence of 6.4% and 18.2% for T. vaginalis.Conclusion: It was therefore concluded that 38 out of 100 women attending Jama'a hospital had vulvovaginal candidiasis and 2 out of 100 had trichomoniasis at detectable level. Control measures including health education, treatment of infected individuals, personal hygiene are highly recommended. Further research should also be carried out in the study area todetermine prevalence of bacterial vaginitis

Ethno-botanical survey of medicinal plants used traditionally in the treatment of mental disorders in Kano, Nigeria

Purpose: To identify medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners to treat mental disorders within Kano metropolis, Nigeria.Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered. It was made up of demographic information (Section A), description of the medicinal plants (Section B), and the professional experience of the respondents (Section C). The data generated were recorded, processed and analyzed.Results: 255 responses were collected from 127 respondents. Among the participants, 101 (79 %) were male and 26 (21 %) were female. The age groups less than 31 years were 22 (17 %), 31 - 40 years were 29 (23 %), 41 - 50 years were 45 (36 %), and above 51 years were 31 (24 %). The sources of knowledge identified include ancestral (83 %), ancestral/training (9 %), training (6 %), and divination (2 %). Out of the total responses, fifty (50) different medicinal plants with various claims in the treatment of mental disorders were reported. The most commonly stated medicinal plants were Securidaca longepedunculata (8.6 %), Jatropha curcas (7.5 %), Solanum aethiopicum (7.1 %), Artemesia annua (6.7 %), Terminalia macroptera (6.3 %), Aristolochia albida (5.9 %), Nigella sativa (5.5 %), Andira inermis (5.5 %), Calotropis procera (5.1 %), and Burkea africana (4.7 %).Conclusion: This survey revealed fifty medicinal plants used traditionally in the treatment of mental disorders within Kano metropolis

A 10B-based neutron detector with stacked Multiwire Proportional Counters and macrostructured cathodes

We present the results of the measurements of the detection efficiency for a 4.7 \r{A} neutron beam incident upon a detector incorporating a stack of up to five MultiWire Proportional Counters (MWPC) with Boron-coated cathodes. The cathodes were made of Aluminum and had a surface exhibiting millimeter-deep V-shaped grooves of 45{\deg}, upon which the thin Boron film was deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. The incident neutrons interacting with the converter layer deposited on the sidewalls of the grooves have a higher capture probability, owing to the larger effective absorption film thickness. This leads to a higher overall detection efficiency for the grooved cathode when compared to a cathode with a flat surface. Both the experimental results and the predictions of the GEANT4 model suggests that a 5-counter detector stack with coated grooved cathodes has the same efficiency as a 7-counter stack with flat cathodes. The reduction in the number of counters in the stack without altering the detection efficiency will prove highly beneficial for large-area position-sensitive detectors for neutron scattering applications, for which the cost-effective manufacturing of the detector and associated readout electronics is an important objective. The proposed detector concept could be a technological option for one of the new chopper spectrometers and other instruments planned to be built at the future European Spallation Source in Sweden. These results with macrostructured cathodes generally apply not just to MWPCs but to other gaseous detectors as well.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Influence of Planting methods and Pinching on growth and vegetative yield of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam).

Field trials were conducted during the 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons at Federal College of Forestry Mechanization farm, Afaka located (10o 371N and 74o 71E) in the Northern Guinea savannah ecological zone of Nigeria to study the influence of planting method and pinching on growth and vegetative yield of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam). The experiment consisted of six treatments, viz direct sowing+ pinching at 2 weeks after sowing (WAS); direct sowing + pinching at 2 and 4 WAS; direct sowing+ no pinching; transplanting at 2 WAS +pinching at 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT); transplanting at 2 WAS + pinching at 2 and 4 WAT; transplanting at 2 WAS + pinching at 2WAT; transplanting at 4 WAS + pinching at 2 and 4 WAT. The treatments were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The plant had significantly vigorous plant with stem diameter at 3 and 9 WAS. However, numbers of leaves, canopy spread and number of branches were not significantly affected by planting methods. Fresh vegetative yield were obtained with direct sowing + pinching at 2 and 4 WAS and transplanting at 2 WAT and pinching at 2 WAT respectively

Nanotechnology: Review on Emerging Techniques in Remediating Water and Soil Pollutions

Environmental Pollution is becoming a global challenge in both developing and the developed countries, pollutants discharge from oil and gas industries and or agricultural practices continue effecting the health of human and other animal in an ecosystem in one way or the other. This necessitated the development of a techniques to clean up of the polluted environment. Remediation of pollutants relies mainly on using varioustechniques like physical, chemical and or biological methods for the removal of contaminants from different environmental media be it soil, water, and or air. These techniques have their own limitations as the toxicity of the degrading agents, time consuming and the fate of the environment after remediation matters a lot. Therefore, nanotechnology is gaining interest in remediating pollutions as nanoparticles are relatively cost effective, sensitive and selective and can be used as sensors to monitor toxins, organic contaminants and heavy metals in land, water and or air. The enhanced properties and effectiveness of nanotechnology-based materials makes them suitable for nano remediation. This review provides an overview of the nanomaterials: Organic based nanomaterials (Dendrimers), inorganic (TiO2, nZVI), carbon-based (Carbon nanotubes, (CNTs)), and composite-based materials) used in environmental remediation. These nanomaterials were reported to remediate different contaminants in theenvironment such as heavy metals, pathogens, pesticides, dyes, chlorinated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Keywords: Nanotechnology, nanoparticles, Nano remediation, pollutions and environments

Evaluation of livestock’s hide and skin marketing in Adamawa State, Nigeria

This study evaluated hide and skin marketing in Adamawa State, Nigeria, with the aim of describing the socioeconomic variables of the marketers, determining the marketing efficiency and major socioeconomic factors that influenced participation in the area. Purposive and simple random sampling methods were used in the selection of four large and small ruminant markets, and 120 hide and skin marketers, respectively. Descriptive statistics, Marketing Efficiency (ME) and regression analysis were employed in the analyses of data. Results show that all the marketers were males (100%) and married (66.67%) within middle-aged group. A larger proportion (40.00%) had secondary school education and fairly experienced in the business. The most popular (51.67%) channel of hide and skin marketing was producer-rural collector-urban collector-wholesaler-tanneries, with a very efficient marketing (178.52%). Further, the level of education and marketing experience of marketers and the average purchasing price of hide and skin were found to heavily influence the marketing output in the area. The major challenges experienced were insufficiency of capital (88.33%), multiple taxations on transit (71.66%) and quality deterioration (63.33%). It is recommended that institutions that intend to improve on hide and skin marketing in the State and areas with similar economic terrains should resolve the aspect of inadequacy of funds, minimise tax on products, and employ efficient extension services to tackle spoilage. &nbsp

A Class of Three Stage Implicit Rational Runge-Kutta Schemes for Approximation of Second Order Ordinary Differential Equations

In this paper, 3 – stage Implicit Rational Runge – Kutta methods are derived using Taylor and Binomial series expansion for the direct solution of general second order initial value problems of ordinary differential equations with constant step length. The basic properties of the developed method were investigated and found to be consistent and convergent. The efficiency of the method were tested on some numerical examples and found to give better approximations than the existing methods. Keywords: Java Programming Language, Implicit Rational Runge Kutta scheme, Second order equations

Does maternal education impact infant and child care practices in African setting? The case of Northern Nigeria

Background: In many African settings, infant and child care practices are dictated by long-established social norms and cultural values, some of which may be disastrous to the health of the baby. To determine how maternal education is related with child health and rearing practices in Kano. Materials and Methods: Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, 386 randomly selected mothers of under-five children and their babies were examined. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Children's weight-for-height, height-for-age, and weight-for-age Z-scores were obtained. Infant and child care, feeding and weaning practices were assessed and scored based on a system adapted from past study. Results: The mean ± standard deviation of the mothers was 27.3 ± 5.2 years, 69.7% had at least secondary school education. The mothers had 4 ± 2 children, and 79.3% were ≥12 months old. More than half of the children (58.2%) had suffered one or more of the common childhood diseases within the previous month, 60.3% had a form of malnutrition and less than half (42.5%) were fully immunized for age. Varying infant and child care, feeding and weaning practices were observed. Overall, half (49.2%) of the mothers had good care practices, 42.2% had good feeding practices and 57.6% had good weaning practices. Interestingly, neither the mothers' care practices nor the feeding practices were statistically associated with their educational status. However, the proportion of the mothers with good weaning practices was higher among those with no secondary education (59.7%). Conclusion: The finding suggests that cultural beliefs are specific areas of focus in campaigns for improving infant and child care and rearing practices of mothers, and eventually for reducing the high infant and child morbidity and mortality in the Northern Nigeria