Development of a Secured Information System to Manage Malaria Related Cases in South Western region of Nigeria

Effective community based management of malaria incidences in most community health care centers are hampered by failure in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria. This challenge is exacerbated by the emergence of multidrug resistant plasmodium parasites which makes ineffective most of the effective therapeutic drugs used in the treatment of malaria. Furthermore, even at abrupt changes in the therapeutic recommendations does not always translate to an immediate change in the effective management and control of malaria. Thus, the quest for effective diagnosis and appropriate treatment becomes a daunting and necessary task. . In this article, a secured Information system to manage malaria related cases was developed by 2-tier architecture by using the VB.NET programming language within the Microsoft Visual studio 2008 edition. The database employed for storing relevant data was the SQL server 2005 edition and fingerprint device integrated into the information system was the Microsoft fingerprint reader. From the results in this study, we modeled a feasible medical history system for prompt diagnosis, effective drug recommendations and promulgation of policies that would serve as palliatives for community health care centers that suffers shortages in material and human resources handling malaria and its related diseases

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FORMULATED AND COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DE-EMULSIFIERS

The de-emulsification of water-in-oil emulsion of Ogharefe crude oil samples was studied by using formulated polyester based de-emulsifier sample A and a commercially available de-emulsifier sample C. The bottle test method was used to screen the de-emulsifier samples. The performance of the de-emulsifiers was expressed in terms of percentage of water separated from 100 ml samples of emulsions. For both the formulated and commercial de-emulsifiers, the performance increased with increased concentration of the de-emulsifiers, separation time and operating temperature. The effect of the operating temperature was much higher and there was a linear between performance and temperature. The performance of the best of the formulated de-emulsifiers, sample A, was better than that of the commercial de-emulsifier under all the conditions of this study- the volume of water expelled by sample A was 5 times that of the commercial one at 30oC. At 70oC, this ratio increased to 14

The Effect of Heme-linked Ionizable Groups on Cyanide Binding to Methemoglobin*

The pH dependence of the kinetics of the binding of cyanide ion to methemoglobins A and S and to guinea pig and pigeon methemoglobins appears to be not directly correlated with the net charges on the proteins. The kinetics can, howeverb, e adequately explained in terms of three sets of heme-linked ionizable groups with pK, ranging between 4.9 and 5.3, pK, between 6.2 and 7.9, and pK3 between 8.0 and 8.5 at 20 “C. pK1 is assigned to carboxylic acid groups, pKZ to histidines and terminal amino groups, and pK3 to the acidalkaline methemoglobin transition. Kinetic second order rate constants have also been determined for the binding of cyanide ion by the four sets of methemoglobin species present in solution. The pKi values and the rate constants of methemoglobin S are strikingly different from those of methemoglobin A. This result is explained in terms of different electrostatic contributions to the free energy of heme linkage arising from differences in the environments of ionizable groups at the surfaces of the two molecules

Isolation of Cellulolytic Microfungi Involved in Wood-Waste Decomposition: Prospects for Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Wastes

Wood-wastes from dump-sites at Okobaba Saw-mills on the western part of the Lagos lagoon were examined for cellulolytic microorganisms. Cellulolytic microfungi were isolated from the wastes using minimal salt agar medium containing 0.2% (w/v) crystalline cellulose, sugarcane pulp, corn cob or saw-dust as sole carbon/energy source. The colonies of cellulolytic microfungi which appeared on the plates increased in size and number as the incubation period (days) increased. Among the fungal isolates were two pathogenic Aspergilli (A flavus and A fumigatus), three different black Aspergilli (herein designated as A.niger I, A.niger II and A.niger III), Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium species and Penicillium species. Cell-free filtrates of 7 – day cultures of A.flavus, A.niger I, A.niger II, B. cinerea and P.species grown on the minimal salt broth supplemented with crystalline cellulose as sole carbon/energy source showed very significant CM–cellulase activity. P. species gave a very high value that was over 4 times the value for the closest organism, A.niger II. There is a good propect for cellulase production using the virgin strain of P. species isolated from the wood-wastes

Towards the conversion of carbohydrate biomass feedstocks to biofuels via hydroxylmethylfurfural

This review appraises the chemical conversion processes recently reported for the production of hydroxylmethylfurfural (HMF), a key biorefining intermediate, from carbohydrate biomass feedstocks. Catalytic sites or groups required for the efficient and selective conversion of hexose substrates to HMF are examined. The principle of concerted catalysis was used to rationalise the dehydration of fructose and glucose to HMF in non-aqueous media. A survey of reported reaction routes to diesel-range biofuel intermediates from HMF or furfural is presented and self-condensation reaction routes for linking two or more HMF and furfural units together toward obtaining kerosene and diesel-range biofuel intermediates are highlighted. The reaction routes include: benzoin condensation, condensation of furfuryl alcohols, hetero Diels–Alder reaction and ketonisation reaction. These reaction routes are yet to be exploited despite their potential for obtaining kerosene and diesel-range biofuel intermediates exclusively from furfural or hydroxylmethylfurfural

CHILDHOOD SEXUALABUSE: THE BOTSWANA PERSPECTIVES

The African Child, particularly the female child is in constant threat of sexual abuse for many reasons. Some of the reasons are neglect by parents, exploitation by older males, family poverty and a variety of situations which include crime rate, war or oppression. In some African countries, underage female children have been forced into marriage, resulting in physical and emotional damage, and sometimes res ul ting in HIY and other sexually transmitted diseases. Botswana, like any other African country has its own incidence of childhood sexual abuse, which has now become a global phenomenon. This paper explores the magnitude of childhood sexual abuse in Botswana through cases reported to the Botswana Police, and those handled by Resource Centres, namely Child line and the SOS Children Village. While it is true that it is sometimes difficult to determine the extent of childhood sexual abuse for a number of reasons, such as the consequences of blame, shame or guilt to mention a few, nevertheless, its monitoring in any community is helpful to ascertain its prevalence so that appropriate measures and interventions could be taken. The forms of childhood sexual abuse investigated in this paper were, incest, defilement and rape. It is observed that the incidence of sexual abuse were in this order: rape, followed by defilement and incest. More cases of defilement and incest were reported to Resource Centres compared to the Law of Enforcement Agency. The factors reported as being responsible for child sexual abuse in Botswana were socio-economic factors exposing the victims to abuse such as drinking depots in the villages where young girls easily fall victims

THE ROLE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELLOR IN THE NIGERIAN 6-3-3-4 SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

Any system of edu~ation after its careful planning, needs to be carefully implemented to make it effective: The implementation of the new 6- 3 - 3- 4 system of education in Nigeria should co-ordinate the resources of all the personnel connected with the education of the child. The Elementary School Counsellor is no doubt an important link between the child and the parent as well as other significant others connected with his growth