Determination of toxic effects of commercial and local mosquito repellents in Oryctolagus cuniculus (New Zealand white)

Mosquito coils are slow-burning products which release smoke containing one or more insecticides. It burns for several hours in a confined place in order to provide protection against mosquitoes which spread diseases like malaria. The present study examined the in vivo effect of inhaling mosquito coil and two locally made mosquito repellents on liver function and haematology parameters of adult male rabbits. A total of 16 rabbits were divided into four groups i.e. groups A, B, C and D. Groups A, B and C were exposed to mosquito coil, rice husk and oranges peels respectively for 8 hours daily. Group D was not exposed and served as a negative control. The rabbits were exposed for four weeks. On day 29 blood samples were collected from the ear pinna of rabbits for haematology and liver function tests. It was observed that both haematological and biochemical results showed varying indices from that of the negative control. However only the group exposed to orange peels (group C) presented a statistically significant difference at P< 0.05 in lowering the blood glucose levels. Elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase were seen with statistical significance at P < 0.05 between the group exposed to rice husk and the control and also between the rice husk and mosquito coil groups respectively. The results showed increased levels of alanine aminotransferase which could indicate acute liver problems in the rice husk treated group. It is also worthy of note that the glucose levels were lowered in the group treated with orange peels. However there was evidence of toxicity in all treated groups.Keywords: Haematology, Liver function, Mosquito repellent, Oranges peels, Rice husk, Toxicit

Partial Replacement of Cement with Bagasse Ash in Hot Mix Asphalt

Several waste and used materials from different sources are generated every day in large quantities. However, these wastes have been found to be useful in the stabilization and/or improvement of construction materials. Amongst these techniques is the use of Bagasse Ash (BA). It is in this light that a laboratory based investigation for the replacement of cement with BA in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) was conducted. Tests on the suitability of materials used and their performance in terms of known engineering properties was carried out. Bitumen content of 4.5%, 5.5%, 6.5% and 7.5% was adopted. The focus involves the partial replacement of cement with BA in the following order, 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. Seventy-two mix specimens were produced. The results obtained shows that the Cement/BA mixes exhibit satisfactory trend result with an average bitumen content of 5.5%.The results obtained shows that stability increases as BA content decreases, flows at 5.5% bitumen Content was observed to be fairly constant at roughly 2.5mm, the per cent air voids in the mix decreases with increasing bitumen content, the VMA values all fall within specification except for 30% BA replacement, the VMA value was 16% at 5.5% of Bitumen Content. Therefore, the Cement/BA mixes exhibit satisfactory trend results with an average Bitumen content of 5.5%.http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v34i4.5

Resource-Use Efficiency in Rice Production Under Small Scale Irrigation in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State

The study was conducted in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State to appraise the efficiency of the resources used in rice production under small scale irrigation. The specific objectives of the study were to determine resource use efficiency, describe socio-economic characteristics of irrigated rice growers and identify constraints to irrigated rice production among respondents. Data were collected using purposive simple random Sampling techniques involving three villages and sixty rice farmers. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and production function analysis. Data were fitted to two functional forms based on the OLS techniques. The Cobb-Douglas (power function) production function gave the best fit in terms of R2 value and number of significant variables. The results revealed that 90.0% of the variation in dependent variable is explained by the independent variables. All the co-efficient carried positive signs. The result revealed that fertilizer, labour and land were being used inefficiently hence below optimum economic level. This was attested by the high ratios (greater than unity) of MVP/MFC of all the variables. For optimum resource allocation to fertilizer, labour and land about 85.7%, 83.3% and 69% increase in MVP is required respectively. The estimated elasticity of production summed up to 0.815 meaning decreasing return to scale. Major problems include lack of adequate fertilizer, capital and access to land. Agricultural Policies should be directed toward provision of farming input such as fertilizer and effective extension services for efficient resources utilization

Assessment of some physicochemical properties of soil and plants along discharged effluent drainage in Sharada Industrial Area, Kano, Nigeria

Soil is a vital resource of sustaining basic human needs, a quality food, food supply and a live able environment. Vegetables are vital to the human diet, and in particular provide the well-known trace elements and heavy metals. intake of heavy metal-contaminated vegetables may pose a risk to the human health. Soil and Plants (vegetables) samples were collected from the study sites (A, B, C). They were subjected to heavy metals analysis which includes Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and some physicochemical properties which include pH, Electric conductivity (EC) and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) in soil. The mean values of the heavy metals in soil were higher than the recommended value by USDA (2007), while the value recorded at the control site is found to be within the range. The values of Cd, Cr and Pb were lower than WHO/FAO (1996)safe limit. However, the Cu levels found in vegetables were within safe limits in all samples. The pH and CEC of the three sites are within the range according to USDA (2007). The CEC value of site A and B fall within the range.The EC value of site A is higher than site B while site C has the least. These indicate that there is possible interference from the effluent discharged on the soil chemistry

Effect of oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) on serum glucose, and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Momordica charantia (bitter melon) has been used extensively in herbal medicine as remedy for many disease conditions. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Momordica charantia (MC) aqueous leaf extract on serum fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid profile (total cholesterol TC, triglyceride TAG, high density lipoprotein HDL, low density lipoprotein LDL) in alloxan-induced diabetic rat. The extract was administered orally at the dose of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg, and 600mg/kg body weight either for a period of 2 or 4 week. A significant (p<0.05) improvement in the biochemical parameters such as FBG, TC, TAG, HDL, and LDL levels was observed in MC treated rats as compared to diabetic control rats. The response to treatment was gradual and dose-dependent with maximum effect at higher dose of 600mg/kg body weight for 4 weeks.Keywords: Momordica charantia, blood glucose, Lipid profile, Diabetes

Investigating Asphaltenes Composition in Crude Oil Samples using Iatroscan TLC-FID Method.

This research was carried out to investigate the percentage composition of asphaltenes by Iatroscan analysis using Thin Layer Chromatography-Flame Ion Detection method (Iatroscan TLC-FID) The percentage composition of asphaltenes by Iatroscan TLC-FID method was compared with the weight% of asphaltenes precipitated. The results from the two methods nearly agreed with each other which revealed that the amount of asphaltene recovered by precipitation is analogous to Iatroscan analysis carried out prior to precipitation. The insignificant difference observed between the two results could be associated to some slight unavoidable experimental and analytical errors which were slightly encountered and instantly addressed. Based on the results obtained from Iatroscan analysis and % composition by weights of asphaltenes recovered, the non-degraded oil tagged 8676 was observed to comparatively have higher asphaltene composition (1125 mg, 11.22 %) than its counterpart which is very slightly degraded oil and tagged 6661 (608.5 mg, 6.085 %). This is not commonly reported in literature. Probably, this indicates that biodegradation may possibly not increase asphaltene composition of oil as widely reported.Keywords: Asphaltenes, Biodegradation, Iatroscan TLC-FID, Oi

Biocatalysis of H. sabdariffa during ‘dawadawan botso’ production and biogeneration of volatile compounds

The analysis of free amino acid and volatile compounds were conducted to understand how the fermenting organism’s biocatalyse H. sabdariffa seeds and its role in the biogeneration of free amino acids and flavour compounds in “dawadawan botso”. Fermentation increased the quantity of all essential amino acids except of threonine which decrease by 1.23 g/100 g protein. Arginine had the highest increase with a value of 3.06 g/100 g protein while proline had the least value of 0.22 g/100 g protein. Fermentation increased the total free amino acid from 68.32% to 76.79%. The values of bitter, sweet and MSG-like free amino acids in the unfermented seeds and “dawadawan botso” were different. A total of 22 compounds were identified from the fresh “dawadawan botso” and locally produced dried “dawadawan botso”. Predominant among them are Methyl (9Z) – 12- hydroxyl -9 –octadecenoate (40.66%) in fresh, Methyl (14E) – 14, 17- Octadecadienoate (33.97%) in dried and Cis -9- Hexedecenal (19.96%, 15.13%) in both samples. The compounds include alcohols, acids, esters, aldehydes, and alkanes. In this study, fermentation increased the bioavailability of free amino acids and volatile compounds in “dawadawan botso”.Keywords: “Dawadawan botso”, Fermentation, Free amino acids, GC-MS analysis, H. sabdariffa, Volatile flavor compound

Fracture of the penis: A report of two cases

We present two cases of fracture of the penis in two young men at the extremes of the social strata the first an unemployed tailor while the other a practicing engineer. The first one was a bachelor while the other wasmarried with children. In the first case, the fracture occurred during masturbation while in the second case it occurred during consensual intercoursewith hiswife on top. In the first case the fracture occurred at the base of the peniswith associated rupture of the deep dorsal veinwhile in the second case it affected themid-shaftwith urethral rupture and blood at the tip of the penis at presentation. Both of them presented within two hours of their injuries with deformed, swollen and tender penis. Laubscher's subcoronal sleeve operation with evacuation of clots and repair of the tear with absorbable sutures to ensure a leak-proof repair was promptly performedwith no complications.Both patients experienced spontaneous erectionwhilst in hospital evenwith indwelling catheter in place. The wife of the second case became pregnant six months after the repair. Counselingwas successfulwith the engineer butwas unsuccessfulwith the tailor-bachelorwho continuedwith masturbation despite professional help.Thoughwe published the first case of fracture of the penis in this centre almost a decade ago, we still found it necessary to report these newcasesmanaged after we created awareness of this uncommon condition in our environment in order to highlight the presentations and the factors that influenced outcome

Evaluation of Nutrient and Anti-nutrient Contents of Parkia biglobosa (L.) Flower

Nutritional and antinutritional contents of Parkia biglobosa flower were analysed using standard analytical methods. On dry weight basis, the flower had the following proximate compositions; ash (6.50 ± 1.00%), crude lipid (4.66 ± 0.29%), crude protein (6.77 ± 0.15%), available carbohydrate (78.9 ± 1.18%) and crude fibre (3.17 ± 0.29%). The calorific value was 384.7 kcal/100g. Mineral analysis indicates that the flower contain some essential minerals such as K, Na, Ca, Mg, and Zn, but was low in Cu, Mn, and Fe. The flower has low concentration of anti-nutritive factors: phytate (1.41±0.24mg %); oxalate (0.03±0.01mg %); hydrocyanic acid (0.17±0.01mg %) and nitrate (1.32±0.10mg %). The values are below the reference toxic standard levels. Therefore, P. biglobosa flower could supplement the microelements requirement, energy and to some extent protein

Prise En Charge Des Plaies Pénétrantes De L’abdomen À L’hôpital National De Niamey

Objectif : rapporter les résultats de la prise en charge des plaies pénétrantes de l’abdomen à l’hôpital national de Niamey au Niger. Patients et méthodes : il s’agissait d’une étude rétrospective et descriptive sur une période de 2 ans. L’étude a concerné tous les patients de tout âge pris en charge à l’hôpital national de Niamey pour plaie pénétrantes de l’abdomen. Résultats : l’étude incluait 51 patients, soit 0,88% des traumatismes. Il s’agissait de 6 femmes et 45 hommes, soit un sex ratio de 7,5. L’âge moyen des patients était de 28 ans [±10,2]. Le délai moyen d’admission était de 4,86 heures [±2,08]. Dans 84,32% des cas les patients étaient transportés à l’hôpital dans un véhicule non médicalisé. Les agressions représentaient 78,44% des circonstances de survenue et la plaie abdominale s’intégrait dans un contexte de polytraumatisme chez 21,53% des patients. Une éviscération était présente chez 31,37% des patients. Le traitement était opératoire chez 90,19% des patients avec 19,56% de laparotomie non thérapeutique. L’organe le plus lésé était l’intestin grêle dans 31,37% des cas suivi du colon dans 23,52% des cas. La morbidité globale était de 33,37% dominée par les hémorragies postopératoires dans 8,69% des cas. La mortalité était de 13,73% avec 50,14% de décès en postopératoire immédiat par hémorragie secondaire ; 28,58% de décès par retard de l’hémostase chirurgicale et 14,28% de décès par défaut de compensation des pertes sanguines en urgence.Conclusion : les plaies de l’abdomen sont fréquentes chez l’adulte jeune de sexe masculin. Elles sont souvent dues à une agression par armes blanches avec un taux élevé de décès. Objective: to report the results of the management of the penetrating abdominal wounds at the national hospital of Niamey. Patients and method: it was a retrospective and descriptive study over 2 years. The study included the patients of all ages managed for penetrating abdominal wounds at national hospital of Niamey in Niger. Results: the study includes 51 patients whether 0.88 % of trauma. They were 45 men and 6 women, with a sex ratio of 7.5. The average age was 28 [±10.2] years old. The average intake time was 4.86 [2.08] hours. In 84. 32% of cases, patients were transported to the hospital in non-medical vehicle. The assault accounted for 78.44% of the circumstances of the occurrence and the penetrating abdominal wound was integrated into a polytrauma in 21.53% of cases. An evisceration was present in 31.37 % of cases. The management was operative in 90.19% of cases with 19.56% of non-therapeutic laparotomy. The most injured organ was the small intestine in 31.37% of cases followed by the colon in 23.52% of cases. The overall morbidity was 33.37%, dominated by postoperative hemorrhages in 8.69% of cases. The mortality was 13.73% with 50.14% of immediate deaths by secondary hemorrhage, 28.58% of deaths by delay of the surgical hemostasis and 14.28% of deaths by a failure of compensation of the blood losses in emergency room. Conclusion: the penetrating abdominal wounds are common in young adult males. They are often due to a stabbing assault with a high death rate