The Use of bubble nasal CPAP in the management of IRDS -A Case report and literature review

A one hour old baby boy presented to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria, on account of respiratory distress noticed from birth. He was a product of supervised pregnancy, delivered at 37 weeks gestation via emergency caeserien section performed due to severe pre eclampsia and fetal distress. APGAR scores were 2 and 7 at one and five minutes respectively.He weighed 1850 grams and was found to be dusky, inactive, hypothermic(T = 35.50C) and in severe respiratory distress (SPO2 ranged between 60 % and 72 %). He was tachypnoeic with respiratory rate persistently above 80 cycles/ min, and had reduced air entry in the mid and lower zonesof the lungs bilaterally with wide spread coarse crepitations. A diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia was entertained with differential diagnoses of pulmonary hypoplasia, hyaline membrane disease and group B streptococcal (GBS) pneumonia. He had a full sepsis screen including chest radiograph and was commenced on supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula, antibiotics and other supportive measures. The patient howevercontinued to have laboured breathing and subsequently had an apnoeic attack. He was resuscitated and commenced on bubble nasal CPAP. He did remarkably well and was weaned off CPAP after a total of 60 hours. A repeat chest radiograph showed remarkable aeration of the lungs asagainst an earlier one which showed a reticulogranular (ground glass) appearance. Key words: Neonates, Respiratory distress, Bubble nCpap, Downesscor

Effect of drying on the nutrient composition of Vernonia amygdalina leaves

Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter leaf) is a common and popular vegetable among the people of Nigeria used as a spice in many delicacies. In this study, the effect of solar, sun and oven drying methods on the proximate and mineral contents of its leaves was evaluated using standard analytical procedures. Drying increased significantly (

Synthesis, Characterization and Antibacterial Evaluations of the Schiff Base 2-(1-(2-(Piperazin-1-yl)ethylimino)ethyl)Phenol and its Complexes of Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)

Schiff base 2-(1-(2-(piperazin-1-yl)ethylimino)ethyl)phenol and its complexes of Mn(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) were synthesized and characterized by molar conductance, FTIR, NMR, UV-Visible and elemental analysis. The complexes showed 1:1 metal to ligand (M:L) ratio according to the result obtained from Job’s method analysis. Elemental analysis and IR spectral data are in good agreement with the proposed structure of the ligand and the complexes. Both the ligand and its complexes were screened for in-vitro antibacterial activity against two gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsella) and two gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyrogenes) bacterial strains. The result of antibacterial activity showed that both the ligand and its complexes have activity more than the referenced drug and that the complexes are more active than free ligand.Keywords: Antibacterial studies, Characterization, Continuous variation, Synthesi

Heavy metals phytoremediation using Typha domingensis Flourishing in an industrial effluent drainage in Kano, Nigeria

Phytoremediation as a tool employs aquatic macrophytes as a principal and inexpensive strategy for controlling environmental pollution. It is achieved through various mechanisms such as phytoextraction, phytostabilization, and phytovolatilization. In this study, heavy metal content of a contaminated drainage that empties into the Kano River was investigated by assessing the uptake of heavy metal contaminants by a notorious aquatic weed, “Typha domingensis”. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used to determine the concentration of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr and Fe in the effluent, sediment and T. domingensis in the months of January, April and July 2013, covering the seasonal weather pattern in the area. In addition, the Bioconcentration factor (BCF) of these metal pollutants in T. domingensis, were calculated as the ratio of their concentration in Typha domingensis to the effluent while the Transfer factor (TF), as the ratio of these substances in T. domingensis to the sediment. From the results, Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations were statistically different (p<0.05) in the effluent as well as in the sediment across the sampling months, while Pb and Cr were significant only in the sediment. The BCF values obtained for these metals in the test plant were >1 except for Fe in April, which indicates the plant capacity for phytoextraction. Similarly, TF values obtained were >1 except for Pb, Fe and Cu in the months of January, April and July respectively. This also indicates the potentiality of T. domingensis as a nutrient and metalaccumulating plant through the process of sequestration. The findings of this work have demonstrated the capacity of T. domingensis in the effluent drainage, not only playing an ecological role in the environment, but also to remove heavy metal pollutants. Therefore, the plant species could be used for phytoremediation of industrial effluent contaminating ecosystems.Keywords; T. domingensis, phytoremediation, Heavy metals, industrial effluen

Ethnobotanical assessment of plants used for the treatment of endocrine disorder in Daura Emirate, Katsina, Nigeria

Medicinal plants are integral components of traditional medical system in Nigeria as in other cultures and societies in Africa. This study examines local knowledge of woody vegetation use for the treatment of endocrine disorders in Daura Emirate with a view to providing information that can assist in management of medicinal plants in the area. This study employed open ended questionnaire and unstructured interview to collect information from local people and traditional healers in the study area respectively. Simple Random Sampling Techniques was used for the selection of 66 respondents and 24 interview participants. Data was collected using questionnaires which were administered in 5 communities of Daura Emirate while 18 traditional healers and 6 herbalists were engaged in an unstructured interview with a view to collecting their opinions on the treatment of endocrine disorders in the area. Result from this study found that endocrine disorders (diabetes, goitre and sexual dysfunction) were treated with 14 plants in combination with other products such as oil obtained from animals and red potash. This study further revealed that leaf (52.17%) was utilised most for the preparation of herbal remedies for endocrine disorders in the study area, while root and pod (04.35%) are the less utilised. It has been found that the remedies were administered orally and nasally. Respondents mentioned two methods employed for management of medicinal plants in the study area. These are: Assisted Natural regeneration (ANR) and seed bank. However, ANR was used by 79% of the respondents. This study recommended that pharmacopoeia of the area should be development in order to avoid knowledge losses. This can be done through collaboration among stakeholders in ethnobotany, medicine, pharmaceutical sciences.Keywords: Ethnobotanical assessment, plants, endocrine disorder

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

Isolation of bacteria associated with diarrhoea among children attending some hospitals in Kano metropolis, Kano state, Nigeria

Bacteriological investigations of Diarrhoeal diseases were carried out among 300 children who were between the ages of 0 – 24 months using stool samples from five different hospitals in the metropolitan Kano. The organisms were isolated and identified using cultural, serological biochemical test. Sensitivity testing of the isolates to some antimicrobial agents was carried out. Out of those number only a total of 122(40.7%) of children were found to have Diarrhoea associated with bacteria in which 34(27.9%) and 88(72.1%) were from breast-fed and bottle-fed children respectively. The Bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli which were the most predominant, followed by Salmonella species and then Shigella species. As at the time of the study, there was significance difference between breast-fed and bottle-fed in the incidence at P> 0.05. Among the antimicrobials used cotrimoxazole was found to be more effective than the others. Also, most of the children tested were found to have a common illness of diarrhoea followed by dysentery, abdominal pain and fever/vomiting

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Healthy and Leaf Curl Virus Infected Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) Leaves

The present investigation deals with the determination of phytochemical constituents of healthy and leaf curl virus infected tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves. Specimens were collected from Koraye in Zaria and transported to the Herbarium unit for proper authentication. Healthy and curl leaves of Solanum lycopersicum were washed thoroughly three times with running tap water and once with sterile distilled water, air dried at temperature on a sterile blotter. After complete drying, young leaves were pulverized. The powdered material was weighed and kept in air tight container in dark place for further extraction procedure. Extraction was done by methanol method, where 100g each of pulverized powder of both healthy and infected Solanum lycopersicum leaves was put in a cornical flask and (1000ml) of measuring cylinder was used to measure 500ml of 70% methanol. The results obtained from the qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of; Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Tanins, Cardiac glycosides, Phenols and Saponins in both healthy and infected leaves of Solanum lycopersicum and the absence of; Carbohydrates, Steroids and Anthroquinone in both healthy and infected leaves of Solanum lycopersicum. While the quantitative analysis revealed the presence of 8.2% and 3.8% Alkaloids, 49.6% and 48.2% Flavonoids, 30.6% and 19.99%, Tanins 30.6% and 19.9%, Phenols 13.6% and 7.022% Saponins 1.2% and 0.1% in both healthy and infected leaf curl of Solanum lycopersicum. Evidently, from the above investigation there are no reducing sugars in Solanum lycopersicum leaves and there are metabolites in some healthy and infected leaf curl of Solanum lycopersicum leaves

Exploring awareness and factors facilitating diffusion, adoption and use of social media in teaching, learning and research by faculty members in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

This paper focused on Exploring Awareness and Factors Facilitating Diffusion, Adoption and Use of Social Media in Teaching, Learning and Research (TLR) by Faculty Members in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The objectives of this paper are: To identify the types social media faculty members of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, are aware of and to identify factors that facilitate the diffusion, adoption and use of social media in TLR by faculty members in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The researchers used single case study research design for this study. The population of this study comprised all the faculty members including staff in training in the 12 faculties of ABU, Zaria with a total number of One thousand nine hundred and fifty nine (1, 959). The researchers selected participants purposefully who must have had life experiences with using social media in Teaching, Learning, Research. Thus, the researchers used this criterion to select 12 faculty members for the interview, one from each faculty. The researcher employed interview as the instrument for collecting data. The researcher adopted the thematic process of data analysis. It was found out that Faculty members were aware of two types of social media: Everyday life Social Media and Scholarly Social Media. Factors that facilitate the diffusion of social media for TLR are: being technologically savvy (curiosity), social media as a tool for interactions, social media as a tool for collaboration and Interactions among faculty members. Factors that facilitate Adoption of social media for TLR by the faculty members are academic network, official academic gathering, and family members. Factors that facilitate the Use of social media by the faculty members are social media benefit, ease of use and Exposure of faculty members abroad (training) etc. It was concluded that Faculty members in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria were aware of scholarly social media and everyday life social media. They indicated that diffusion, adoption and use of social media for teaching, learning and research depend on some factors. These factors included curiosity, Academic connectivity like academic colleagues, online forums, students etc. It was recommended that University management should mount training programmes aimed at creating awareness on the academic implication of the two social media types and how best to apply in Teaching, Learning, Research. Training programmes in the form of workshops, conferences and symposium etc. would ensure increased awareness and encourage best practice and Faculty members should endeavor to acquire technology savvy skills as it will help in upstanding social media technologies which will improve Teaching, Learning and Research in the University