Occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from some sachet drinking water brands sold in Gombe metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria

Background: Diseases contracted through consuming contaminated water present health challenges globally, hence this study aimed to assess occurrence and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from various brands of sachet drinking water sold in Gombe metropolis. Methods: Twenty brands of samples were collected randomly, serially diluted, and cultured on nutrient agar (NA). Isolates were identified morphologically and biochemically, with antibiogram determined using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: All the 20 samples produced positive bacterial growths with counts ranging from 1.0x103 to 9.8x103 CFU/ml with identified colonies of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). Antibiogram revealed the isolates were all resistant to augmentin, cefixime, cefuroxime and ceftazidime, but E. coli and S. aureus were also resistant to gentamicin. Conclusion: The samples were contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria that were resistant to some antibiotics. Hence there is need for enforcement of drinking water standards to avoid consequences of unsafe drinking water, thus improving the health of the population

Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella enterica Isolated from Apparently Healthy Students Screened for Salmonella Agglutinins

Infections caused by Salmonella enterica remains a major public health concern worldwide, contributing to the economic burden of both industrialized and underdeveloped countries through the costs associated with surveillance, prevention and treatment of disease. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between October – December, 2021 in which the detection of Salmonella enterica by stool culture was carried out on sixty (60) apparently healthy students screened for Salmonella agglutinin by widal agglutination test. The susceptibility of the Salmonella isolates to commonly used antibiotics was carried out by disc diffusion method. The result showed that 52 (82.7%) subjects were found to be widal positive with at least one of the tested antigens. From these, 26 (86.7%) each were recorded among male and female students respectively. The most common Salmonella agglutinin detected in both male and female belong to the Paratyphi serovar. However, the percentage of the positive titres, 1:320 and 1:160 in both males (p=0.139). and females (p =0.382) were not significantly different. Salmonella enterica was isolated in 11(42.3%) males and 7(26.9%) females, with a combined prevalence of 18(34.6%). For male subjects, Salmonella enterica was more susceptible to ciprofloxacin (81.8%) and ofloxacin (81.8%) and least to nalidixic acid (45.5%). For female gender, Salmonella enterica enterica exhibits multidrug resistance phenotype, accounting for the prevalence of 64.7%. From these, the MDR phenotype was more in female than male but with no statistical difference (P=0.569). The findings of this study established that Salmonella agglutinins are common among apparently healthy. It also shows the limitations of widal agglutination test, since Salmonella species could not be isolated in all the subjects whose sera were widal positive.&nbsp

Physiochemical properties of biodiesel produced from ogbono (Irvingia gabonesis) seed oil

Biodiesel is a promising alternative fuel and has gained significant attention due to the predicted depletion of conventional fossil fuels and environmental concerns. This study aims to produce biodiesel from ogbono seed oil (using 98 ml methanol and 2g potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a catalyst) via transesterification process and to determine the physiochemical properties of the biodiesel produced. The physiochemical properties of the feedstock (extracted ogbono seed oil) were also determined before the transesterification process. The physiochemical properties of the produced biodiesel showed that it has a density of 0.5±0.00 g/cm3, pour point of 2.0±0, saponification value of 58.90±0.06 mg KOH/g, ester value of 98.0±0.5% (m/m), iodine value of 26.64±0.15gI2/100g, acid value of 0.28±0.05 mgKOH/g, moisture value of 0.0006 ±0.0% and trace amounts of ash content. The results of the physiochemical properties of the produced biodiesel agree with ASTM-D6751 and EN 14214 standard. Thus, it was concluded that ogbono seed oil is an excellent feedstock for biodiesel production via base catalyzed transesterification proces

Prevalence and Determinants of Endothelial Dysfunction among Adults Living with HIV in Northwest Nigeria

Background: Endothelial dysfunction constitutes an early pathophysiological event in atherogenesis and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, determinants, and degree of endothelial dysfunction in antiretroviral therapy (ART)–treated people living with HIV (PLWH) in northwestern Nigeria using brachial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Methods: This was a comparative, cross-sectional study. A total of 200 ART-treated adults living with HIV with no evidence of kidney disease were compared with 200 HIV-negative participants attending a tertiary hospital in Kano, Nigeria, between September 2020 and May 2021. Endothelial function was evaluated by measuring FMD with a high-resolution vascular ultrasound transducer. FMD was calculated as the ratio of the brachial artery diameter after reactive hyperemia to baseline diameter and expressed as a percentage of change. Blood and urine samples were obtained from participants in both arms. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) was calculated using the 2021 CKD-EPI estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) creatinine-cystatin C equation without the race variable, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was measured using enzymatic method. Results: The overall mean age (± standard deviation) of the study participants was 42 ± 11 years. Participants in the comparison arm were younger than PLWH (38 ± 11 versus 46 ± 10 years, respectively). The median (interquartile range) uACR was 41.6 (23.2–162.9) mg/g for the ART-treated PLWH versus 14.5 (7.4–27.0) mg/g for healthy controls. PLWH had a significantly lower mean percent FMD when compared to HIV-negative participants (9.8% ± 5.4 versus 12.1% ± 9.2, respectively). Reduced FMD was independently associated with HIV infection (β = –2.83%, 95% CI, –4.44% to –1.21%, p = 0.001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (β = –0.04%, 95% CI, –0.07% to –0.01%, p = 0.004) and LDL cholesterol (β = –1.12%, 95% CI, –2.13% to –0.11%, p = 0.029). Conclusion: HIV-positive status, lower estimated GFR, and higher LDL cholesterol levels were independently associated with endothelial dysfunction. Future prospective studies with larger cohorts of persons living with HIV (and age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls) are needed to gain further insight into these important findings. In the interim, aggressive management of modifiable risk factors is warranted

Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In an era of shifting global agendas and expanded emphasis on non-communicable diseases and injuries along with communicable diseases, sound evidence on trends by cause at the national level is essential. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic scientific assessment of published, publicly available, and contributed data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality for a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of diseases and injuries. Methods: GBD estimates incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to 369 diseases and injuries, for two sexes, and for 204 countries and territories. Input data were extracted from censuses, household surveys, civil registration and vital statistics, disease registries, health service use, air pollution monitors, satellite imaging, disease notifications, and other sources. Cause-specific death rates and cause fractions were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression. Cause-specific deaths were adjusted to match the total all-cause deaths calculated as part of the GBD population, fertility, and mortality estimates. Deaths were multiplied by standard life expectancy at each age to calculate YLLs. A Bayesian meta-regression modelling tool, DisMod-MR 2.1, was used to ensure consistency between incidence, prevalence, remission, excess mortality, and cause-specific mortality for most causes. Prevalence estimates were multiplied by disability weights for mutually exclusive sequelae of diseases and injuries to calculate YLDs. We considered results in the context of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income per capita, years of schooling, and fertility rate in females younger than 25 years. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered 1000 draw values of the posterior distribution. Findings: Global health has steadily improved over the past 30 years as measured by age-standardised DALY rates. After taking into account population growth and ageing, the absolute number of DALYs has remained stable. Since 2010, the pace of decline in global age-standardised DALY rates has accelerated in age groups younger than 50 years compared with the 1990–2010 time period, with the greatest annualised rate of decline occurring in the 0–9-year age group. Six infectious diseases were among the top ten causes of DALYs in children younger than 10 years in 2019: lower respiratory infections (ranked second), diarrhoeal diseases (third), malaria (fifth), meningitis (sixth), whooping cough (ninth), and sexually transmitted infections (which, in this age group, is fully accounted for by congenital syphilis; ranked tenth). In adolescents aged 10–24 years, three injury causes were among the top causes of DALYs: road injuries (ranked first), self-harm (third), and interpersonal violence (fifth). Five of the causes that were in the top ten for ages 10–24 years were also in the top ten in the 25–49-year age group: road injuries (ranked first), HIV/AIDS (second), low back pain (fourth), headache disorders (fifth), and depressive disorders (sixth). In 2019, ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the top-ranked causes of DALYs in both the 50–74-year and 75-years-and-older age groups. Since 1990, there has been a marked shift towards a greater proportion of burden due to YLDs from non-communicable diseases and injuries. In 2019, there were 11 countries where non-communicable disease and injury YLDs constituted more than half of all disease burden. Decreases in age-standardised DALY rates have accelerated over the past decade in countries at the lower end of the SDI range, while improvements have started to stagnate or even reverse in countries with higher SDI. Interpretation: As disability becomes an increasingly large component of disease burden and a larger component of health expenditure, greater research and developm nt investment is needed to identify new, more effective intervention strategies. With a rapidly ageing global population, the demands on health services to deal with disabling outcomes, which increase with age, will require policy makers to anticipate these changes. The mix of universal and more geographically specific influences on health reinforces the need for regular reporting on population health in detail and by underlying cause to help decision makers to identify success stories of disease control to emulate, as well as opportunities to improve. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licens

Users’ satisfaction with the use of electronic database in university libraries in north east zone, Nigeria

Electronic Database (e-database) is a large, regularly updated file of digitized information (bibliographic records, abstracts, full-text documents, directory entries, images, statistics, etc.) related to a specific subject or field, consisting of records of uniform format organized for ease and speeds of search and retrieval and managed with the aid of database management system (DBMS) software. This study investigated users’ satisfaction with the use of electronic database in university libraries in North East Zone, Nigeria. Correlational research method was adopted to determine the relationship between utilisation of e-databases and users’ satisfaction. The study also adopted Krejcie and Morgan (1970) as sample frame to determine the sample size of one thousand, three hundred and seventy two (1,372) registered library users. The research instrument used was questionnaire. Demographic data of respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 software was used for the inferential statistics. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) coefficient was used to test Hypothesis 1-4 at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that there was significant relationship between users’ satisfaction and utilisation of e-databases in the selected university libraries in North-Eastern Nigeria; hence users’ were moderately satisfied. The study recommended that University libraries  in North East zone, Nigeria, should intensify sensitization and orientation programmes to increase patronage of e-databasesby the users’;up-to-date and relevant e-databases should be subscribed in time in accordance with the universities’ programmes and Staff of University libraries in North East zone, Nigeria should assist library users’ in searching and retrieving relevant information through the e-databases.Keywords: Utilisation, Electronic Databases, Users’ Satisfaction, University  Libraries, North Eas

Molecular dynamics and energy distribution of methane gas adsorption in shales

This study uses simulations to explore the energy distributions involved in the adsorption of methane gas in shales. Molecular mechanics calculations were carried out using the Forcite module in BIOVIA material studio software. The critical challenge in molecular-scale simulations remains the need to improve the description of the gas adsorption prior to up-scaling to a realistic scenario. Resolving this challenge requires the implementation of multi-scale techniques that employ atomistic/molecular-level results as input. Thus, it is pertinent that the appropriate molecular data on CH4 gas interaction with shale is obtained. This study provides empirical data on CH4 sorption/adsorption in shale at the molecular level to confirm the CH4 storage potential of shales. The effect of pressure on the CH4 sorption/adsorption was also investigated. A vital aspect of this study is elucidating the energy distribution and dominant energy that controls CH4 sorption/adsorption to serve as a basis for the exploitation of CH4 in productive shales. Following the intensive simulation exercise, the average total energy of CH4 sorption varied from approximately −30 to −120 kcal/mol with increase in pressure from 500 to 2500 psi, suggesting increasing thermodynamic stability. The results indicated that van der Waals energy is the major sorption energy with values ranging from 60 to −250 kcal/mol as the sorption pressure increased, while electrostatic energy recorded the least contribution. The total adsorption energy increased from −5 to −16 kcal/mol for reservoir pressure range of 1–15 MPa. This energy distribution data confirmed the possibility of CH4 adsorption on shale under reservoir pressure conditions

Aloe vera Gel Ameliorates Fat-Rich and High Fructose (FRHF) Diet-Induced Pancreatic and Splenic Damage in Mice

High-fat diet alone or in combination with high fructose has been known to induce diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and immune dysfunction. The study evaluates the role of Aloe vera in fat-rich and high fructose diet-induced (FRHFD) hyperglycemias in addition to testicular and splenic morphology in mice. Twenty BALB/c Mice were randomly distributed into four groups (n=5). The groups were fed on a normal diet, FRHFD, FRHFD + 10 g Aloe vera, and FRHFD + 20 g Aloe vera for 10 weeks. All the mice were sacrificed a day after the 10 weeks of treatment. The result showed that mice fed on FRHFD plus Aloe vera had a significantly lower (p<0.05) blood glucose level relative to the FRHFD-fed mice. The mice fed on FRHFD plus Aloe vera had a significantly lower (p<0.05) blood glucose level relative to the FRHFD-fed mice. Aloe vera was found to ameliorate FRHFD-induced pancreatic islet and acini damage. It also prevented distorted lymphoid cells and testicular damage induced by FRHFD. Aloe vera prevents hyperglycemia and protects pancreatic islets in FRHFD-fed mice. It further prevents immune dysfunction and protects against testicular damage. Hence, Aloe vera supplementation could be an alternative and/or complementary therapy for hyperglycemia-related disorders

The Response of Nigerian Government to COVID-19: Patient Management and Diagnosis – A Mini-Review

A series of pneumonia cases of unknown cause has emerged in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019 with clinical manifestation highly related to pneumonia. Analysis of the respiratory tract sample of the infected patients by deep sequencing revealed a coronavirus named 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which is relatively considered as a deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Coronaviruses are positive RNA viruses, non-segmented assigned to the family of Coronaviridae, and the order Nidovirales. They are widely distributed in humans and other mammals. Although coronavirus infection is mild, beta coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV) epidemic and pandemic have claimed the lives of people all over the world in the past two decades and presently. There is a scarcity of information on COVID-19 in Nigeria, there are less published information on how physicians are managing COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, and its success and challenge. This research reviewed the current COVID-19 diagnostic techniques used in Nigeria, drugs used in patient management, and general management adopted by physicians. RT-qPCR is the standard diagnostic technique recommended by NCDC, while patient management is basically using a drug such as Lopinavirritonavir and vitamins. However serological tests can be used for supportive information. Hence, PCR-based diagnostic technique is adopted in Nigeria to test for COVID-19, but information about the challenge and success of using PCR in COVID-19 diagnosis is not available which is a new area of research

Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a standardised and comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of risk factor exposure, relative risk, and attributable burden of disease. Methods: GBD 2019 estimated attributable mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years of life lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 87 risk factors and combinations of risk factors, at the global level, regionally, and for 204 countries and territories. GBD uses a hierarchical list of risk factors so that specific risk factors (eg, sodium intake), and related aggregates (eg, diet quality), are both evaluated. This method has six analytical steps. (1) We included 560 risk–outcome pairs that met criteria for convincing or probable evidence on the basis of research studies. 12 risk–outcome pairs included in GBD 2017 no longer met inclusion criteria and 47 risk–outcome pairs for risks already included in GBD 2017 were added based on new evidence. (2) Relative risks were estimated as a function of exposure based on published systematic reviews, 81 systematic reviews done for GBD 2019, and meta-regression. (3) Levels of exposure in each age-sex-location-year included in the study were estimated based on all available data sources using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression method, or alternative methods. (4) We determined, from published trials or cohort studies, the level of exposure associated with minimum risk, called the theoretical minimum risk exposure level. (5) Attributable deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs were computed by multiplying population attributable fractions (PAFs) by the relevant outcome quantity for each age-sex-location-year. (6) PAFs and attributable burden for combinations of risk factors were estimated taking into account mediation of different risk factors through other risk factors. Across all six analytical steps, 30 652 distinct data sources were used in the analysis. Uncertainty in each step of the analysis was propagated into the final estimates of attributable burden. Exposure levels for dichotomous, polytomous, and continuous risk factors were summarised with use of the summary exposure value to facilitate comparisons over time, across location, and across risks. Because the entire time series from 1990 to 2019 has been re-estimated with use of consistent data and methods, these results supersede previously published GBD estimates of attributable burden. Findings: The largest declines in risk exposure from 2010 to 2019 were among a set of risks that are strongly linked to social and economic development, including household air pollution; unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing; and child growth failure. Global declines also occurred for tobacco smoking and lead exposure. The largest increases in risk exposure were for ambient particulate matter pollution, drug use, high fasting plasma glucose, and high body-mass index. In 2019, the leading Level 2 risk factor globally for attributable deaths was high systolic blood pressure, which accounted for 10·8 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 9·51–12·1) deaths (19·2% [16·9–21·3] of all deaths in 2019), followed by tobacco (smoked, second-hand, and chewing), which accounted for 8·71 million (8·12–9·31) deaths (15·4% [14·6–16·2] of all deaths in 2019). The leading Level 2 risk factor for attributable DALYs globally in 2019 was child and maternal malnutrition, which largely affects health in the youngest age groups and accounted for 295 million (253–350) DALYs (11·6% [10·3–13·1] of all global DALYs that year). The risk factor burden varied considerably in 2019 between age groups and locations. Among children aged 0–9 years, the three leading detailed risk factors for attributable DALYs were all related to malnutrition. Iron deficiency was the leading risk factor for those aged 10–24 years, alcohol use for those aged 25–49 years, and high systolic blood pressure for those aged 50–74 years and 75 years and older. Interpretation: Overall, the record for reducing exposure to harmful risks over the past three decades is poor. Success with reducing smoking and lead exposure through regulatory policy might point the way for a stronger role for public policy on other risks in addition to continued efforts to provide information on risk factor harm to the general public. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.Peer reviewe