Determination of the level of some heavy metals in water collected from two pollution - prone irrigation areas around Kano Metropolis

Industrial effluents discharged into the environment pose a serious threat to our agricultural products and health. In view of this, levels of some heavy metals, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Ag, Fe and Mn were determined in water samples collected from two pollution prone areas around Kano (Sharada and Bompai industrial estates) and control site (Thomas Dam, Dambatta). The levels of the heavy metals were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The results obtained show that the mean values of all heavy metals (with the exception of Zn) in water samples from the polluted areas studied were significantly higher than in the control site (P < 0.05). These mean values have also exceeded the acceptable limits. Key words: Heavy metals, Pollution, Kano, Environmen

Screening for Total Carotenoids and &#946-Carotene in Some Widely Consumed Vegetables in Nigeria

Ten different locally grown and widely consumed vegetables were selected for the screening of total carotenoids and â-carotene contents. The pigments were extracted by solvent extraction and the concentrations determined using UV-visible spectrophotometer. Carrot (Daucus carota) has the highest values of both the total carotenoids (397.8 ± 2.0 ìg/g) and â-carotene (203.0 ìg/g). Squash (C. moschata) has the lowest concentrations of total carotenoids (20.3 ± 2.0 ìg/g) while cabbage has the lowest â-carotene (24.41 ± 9.8 ìg/g). These vegetables, if properly processed, may serve as good sources of provitamin A in addition to other nutritional roles. The potentials of these vegetables as candidates for biofortification with â -carotene for the eradication of vitamin A deficiency were discussed.Keywords: Vegetables, Carotenoids, â-carotene, Vitamin A deficienc

Lifestyle, Fitness and Health Promotion Initiative of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria: An Educational Media Intervention

This study examined the health promotion initiative introduced by the Management of the University of Ilorin, Ngeria. In an attempt to ensure stress free academic society that would boost staff productivity and longevity, the university invested heavily on a number of lifestyle, fitness and health promotion initiatives. Descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for this study. Staff and registered students of the University for 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 academic sessions were sampled. A total of one thousand randomly selected academic, non- academic staff and students from the twelve faculties with the exception of postgraduate students of the university participated in the study. A structured questionnaire validated and pilot tested with reliability co-efficient of 63r was used for data collection. The data collected were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics of chi-square and Analysis of variance at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The two postulated hypotheses for the study were rejected. The result indicated a significant hyperthy and underutilization of multi-million naira fitness equipment procured for staff and students; it also revealed low turn-out at the monthly Unilorin walk a-fitness programme for staff and students of the university. The monthly health talk organized by the health education group on causes, signs and symptoms of hypertension, diabetes and other diseases also suffered from the same low turn-out of staff and students of the university among others. The authors suggested a conducive academic environment that will enable the staff to have time to take care of their health, Unilorin walk should be organized on faculty/departmental basis as a university-wide programme will not bring the desire result. More publicity should be carried out so as to boost staff and students attendance at the monthly health talk.Key words: Lifestyle; Health Promotion; Physical Fitness; Hypo-kinetics Diseases; Physical inactivit

Hepatoprotective Effect of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees Against Carbon Tetrachloride – Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats

Hepatoprotective effect of the aqueous leaf extract of Andrographis paniculata was investigated against CCl4 – induced hepatic injury in rats. Significant (P&lt;0.05) increase of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBL), direct bilirubin (DBL), total cholesterol (CHL),  triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in CCl4 intoxicated rats were restored to normal levels when treated with the extract and CCl4. Significant (P&lt;0.05) decrease of serum levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in CCl4 intoxicated rats were restored to normal levels when treated with the extract and CCl4. The LD50 of the leaf extract was greater than 3000 mg/kg. The study demonstrated that A. paniculata possesses significant hepatoprotective effects and may be the source of lead compound in the management of liver diseases.Key words: Hepatoprotective, Andrographis paniculata, Carbon Tetrachloride, Liver Disease

Markers of Diabetic Nephropathy in Diabetic Patients in Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria

Diabetic nephropathy is the kidney disease that occurs as a result of diabetes. Cardiovascular and renal complications share common risk factors such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and glycemic control. The markers of diabetics nephropathy in diabetic patients, serum glucose, creatinine clearance, urinary albumin and blood pressure in 40 diabetic (9 type I and 31 type II diabetics) patients attending Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, were determined. Sixteen (16) age- matched volunteers served as control. In type I diabetes mellitus; serum glucose level, creatinine clearance, and microalbuminuria were significantly different (P&lt; 0.05) between the subjects and control. In type II diabetes mellitus, serum glucose level, systolic pressure and age were significantly different (P&lt; 0.05) between the subjects and control. Therefore, serum glucose level, creatinine Clearance and microalbuminuria could be the markers of nephropathy in type I diabetics while serum glucose level, systolic pressure and higher age could be for type II diabetics. Other markers of risk for diabetic nephropathy are needed for optimal clinical management. The implication of this result for improving the quality of life of diabetics is discussed

Search for direct pair production of the top squark in all-hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of 20.1fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at √s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via t˜→tχ˜01 or t˜→ bχ˜±1 →bW(∗)χ˜01 , where χ˜01 (χ˜±1 ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of t˜ → tχ˜01 . For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270–645 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either t˜ → tχ˜01 or t˜ → bχ˜±1 , and assuming the χ˜±1 mass to be twice the χ˜01 mass, top squark masses in the range 250–550 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 60 GeV

Search for pair-produced long-lived neutral particles decaying to jets in the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter in ppcollisions at √s=8TeV

The ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is used to search for the decay of a scalar boson to a pair of long-lived particles, neutral under the Standard Model gauge group, in 20.3fb−1of data collected in proton–proton collisions at √s=8TeV. This search is sensitive to long-lived particles that decay to Standard Model particles producing jets at the outer edge of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter or inside the hadronic calorimeter. No significant excess of events is observed. Limits are reported on the product of the scalar boson production cross section times branching ratio into long-lived neutral particles as a function of the proper lifetime of the particles. Limits are reported for boson masses from 100 GeVto 900 GeV, and a long-lived neutral particle mass from 10 GeVto 150 GeV

Monitoring the referral system through benchmarking in rural Niger: an evaluation of the functional relation between health centres and the district hospital

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study is to establish a benchmark for referral rates in rural Niger so as to allow interpretation of routine referral data to assess the performance of the referral system in Niger. METHODS: Strict and controlled application of existing clinical decision trees in a sample of rural health centres allowed the estimation of the corresponding need for and characteristics of curative referrals in rural Niger. Compliance of referral was monitored as well. Need was matched against actual referral in 11 rural districts. The referral patterns were registered so as to get an idea on the types of pathology referred. RESULTS: The referral rate benchmark was set at 2.5 % of patients consulting at the health centre for curative reasons. Niger's rural districts have a referral rate of less than half this benchmark. Acceptability of referrals is low for the population and is adding to the deficient referral system in Niger. Mortality because of under-referral is highest among young children. CONCLUSION: Referral patterns show that the present programme approach to deliver health care leaves a large amount of unmet need for which only comprehensive first and second line health services can provide a proper answer. On the other hand, the benchmark suggests that well functioning health centres can take care of the vast majority of problems patients present with

Accurately Measuring Recombination between Closely Related HIV-1 Genomes

Retroviral recombination is thought to play an important role in the generation of immune escape and multiple drug resistance by shuffling pre-existing mutations in the viral population. Current estimates of HIV-1 recombination rates are derived from measurements within reporter gene sequences or genetically divergent HIV sequences. These measurements do not mimic the recombination occurring in vivo, between closely related genomes. Additionally, the methods used to measure recombination make a variety of assumptions about the underlying process, and often fail to account adequately for issues such as co-infection of cells or the possibility of multiple template switches between recombination sites. We have developed a HIV-1 marker system by making a small number of codon modifications in gag which allow recombination to be measured over various lengths between closely related viral genomes. We have developed statistical tools to measure recombination rates that can compensate for the possibility of multiple template switches. Our results show that when multiple template switches are ignored the error is substantial, particularly when recombination rates are high, or the genomic distance is large. We demonstrate that this system is applicable to other studies to accurately measure the recombination rate and show that recombination does not occur randomly within the HIV genome

The weakest link: competence and prestige as constraints to referral by isolated nurses in rural Niger

BACKGROUND: For a health district to function referral from health centres to district hospitals is critical. In many developing countries referral systems perform well below expectations. Niger is not an exception in this matter. Beyond obvious problems of cost and access this study shows to what extent the behaviour of the health worker in its interaction with the patient can be a barrier of its own. METHODS: Information was triangulated from three sources in two rural districts in Niger: first, 46 semi-structured interviews with health centre nurses; second, 42 focus group discussions with an average of 12 participants – patients, relatives of patients and others; third, 231 semi-structured interviews with referred patients. RESULTS: Passive patients without 'voice' reinforce authoritarian attitudes of health centre staff. The latter appear reluctant to refer because they see little added value in referral and fear loss of power and prestige. As a result staff communicates poorly and show little eagerness to convince reluctant patients and families to accept referral proposals. CONCLUSIONS: Diminishing referral costs and distance barriers is not enough to correct failing referral systems. There is also a need for investment in district hospitals to make referrals visibly worthwhile and for professional upgrading of the human resources at the first contact level, so as to allow for more effective referral patterns