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

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

Motivational Approaches for School Counselors for High Performance among Tertiary Institutions in Kano State, Nigeria

ABSTRAC

THE EFFECT OF TIME INFLUENCE ON PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS FOLLOWING KETAMINE AND DIAZEPAM ADMINISTERATION IN CATS

Objective: The present study aims to determine the effect of time influence on rectal temperature, respiratory and pulse rate, onset and duration of action, duration of recumbency and recovery following ketamine and diazepam administration in cats.Methods: Experimental study design was used on 20 cats (males and females) randomly divided into two equal groups (A and B). Ketamine (10 mg/kg i. m.) was administered to group A in the morning. The same procedure was repeated using different dosages (15 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg i.m.) at intervals of 3 days each. A similar procedure was applied to group B in the evening. A week after, diazepam (1.5 mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg and 3.5 mg/kg i. v.) were administered to group A and B using the same procedure used in ketamine administration. All baseline measurements were recorded after each drug administration and were repeated at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, and 120 min intervals after induction of anesthesia with ketamine and diazepam.Results: It was found that the onset of action of ketamine following i. m. administration was slightly longer at evening (2-5 mins) while that of diazepam was instant after i. v. administration. The duration of recumbency was shorter in the morning using ketamine while longer following diazepam (7-19 mins) administration. The rectal temperature, respiratory and pulse rate were lower in the morning following ketamine and diazepam administration even though, the respiratory and pulse rate decreases as the dose was increased but not statistically significant. The duration of action and recovery was significantly longer in the morning after ketamine and diazepam administration.Conclusion: According to this study, there was not much difference between morning and evening administration using both drugs. However, it should be noted that influence of time of administration was evident in some of the parameters measured especially with diazepam.Â

Cross sectional study of malarial parasite among patients attending general hospital, Hadejia, Jigawa state, Nigeria

A study was conducted to find out prevalence of malarial parasite among patients attending Hadejia General Hospital. A total of 227 people were screened in the  study area. Out of this number 150(66.1%) were males, while 77(33.9%) were females. Overall prevalence of malarial parasite was found to be 114(50.2%). Prevalence of malarial parasite in males was found to be 78(52%), while prevalence in females was found to be 36(46.8%). There was no significant difference (p >0.05) between the sex of the people and prevalence of the infection. Prevalence of malarial parasite in children aged 0 to 5 years has highest prevalence37(53.4%), followed by children aged 6 to 15 years with prevalence of 56(50.3%) and lowest prevalence was obtained in people aged 15 years and above 25(40.4%).There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the age of the people and prevalence of the infection. The prevalence of malarial parasite was found to be high among patients attending Hadejia General Hospital.Keywords: Hospital, Malaria, Prevalence, Parasite, Patient

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria

Three patients, 30, 2 and one and a half years, were diagnosed as having falciparum malaria and were placed on chloroquine therapy which failed. They were then placed on quinine therapy that then cleared the parasitaemia. This case report seeks to draw the attention of the presence of possible chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria. (African Journal of Biotechnology: 2003 2(8): 244-245

Co-hort study of urinary schistosomiasis among two villages residing along Hadejia Valley, Jigawa State, Nigeria

A study was carried out to determine prevalence of urinary Schistosomiasis among two villages located along Hadejia valley in Jigawa State, Nigeria. A total of 125 urine sample from people residing in each of the two villages (Yamidi and Shawara), were screened for the presence or absence of S. haematobium eggs. Urine sample were screened using Concentration Sedimentation Technique. The overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection in Yamidi was 76.8% with mean Eggs per cubic Centiliter (EPC) of 2.9, and in Shawara the overall prevalence was 77.6% with mean EPC of 3.4. Males were found to be more infected than female in both the two villages. People aged 1 to 5 years have highest prevalence of the infection in both the two villages than people among older age group. People with haematuria have highest prevalence of 95.1% and mean EPC of 6.0 than people without haematuria that have lower prevalence of 72.0% and mean EPC of 3.4.There was no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between the infection and presence or absence of haematuria. This study has established that urinary schistosomiasis is endemic in the study area.Keywords: Hadejia, Haematuria, Infection, Jigawa, Nigeria, Schistosomiasi

Measurement of Radon Concentration in Water Sources around Ririwai Artisanal Tin Mine Kano State, Nigeria

In this work liquid scintillation analysis was used to measure the concentration of 222Rn in three sources of water around Ririwai Artisanal Tin mine. The annual effective dose due to 222Rn concentration in surface water source and Domestic water were also determined. The result shows that the tailing bearing water has the highest 222Rn concentration of 3.04±0.14 Bq/L followed by surface water source with 222Rn concentration of 2.51±0.13 Bq/L while the Domestic water has the lowest 222Rn concentration of 2.23±0.11 Bq/L. The results also indicated that the annual effective dose due to the 222Rn concentration is higher in surface water with 13.05±0.55 mSv/year than in Domestic water with 11.11 ± 0.44mSv/year. The mean 222Rn concentration obtained in this work is lower than 10.00Bq/L recommended by WHO and UNSCEAR. Also in this study the annual effective dose obtained is lower than the maximum permissible of 0.1mSv/year recommended by UNSCEAR. Keywords: Radionuclide, activity concentration and annual effective dos

Effects of Tyre Derived Aggregate (TDA) as Partial Replacement of Coarse Aggregate in Concrete

The usage and reuse of waste tyre rubber in concrete production can cut down the use of raw materials which contributes to economic efficiency and sustainable development of the construction industry. This study is directed at assessing the effects of using the Tyre Derived Aggregate (TDA) as a substitute for coarse aggregate in concrete. A sum of eighty-six square cubes of 100 mm was cast and cured in fresh water for up to 28 days. Setting times, consistency and soundness tests were carried out on cement paste. However, slump, compressive strength and durability (i.e. water absorption) tests were carried out on the concrete. The results unveiled that the physical characteristics of cement considered fulfilled BS EN 196-3 (1995), and the slump of fresh concrete decreased as the percentage of TDA content stepped up. The water absorption raised, while the density of concrete made with TDA decreased as the percentage of TDA content stepped up. However, the strength of TDA-concrete increased as the curing age increased, and it decreased as the portion of TDA content raised. Nevertheless, the strength at 0%, 5% and 10% were 23, 21.67 and 18.33 N/mm2 respectively. However, the strength of TDA-concrete made with 0 % TDA and 5 % TDA subjected to different temperatures decreased as the temperature increased, however, even at 500C the strength of concrete made with 5% TDA was found to be 20.5 N/mm2 which is within the target compressive strength. It was concluded that the usage of TDA content in the production of concrete should not be greater than 5 % for better performance