Table of Contents

Geophagic Practice and Its Possible Health Implications – A Review

Ogidi Odangowei I. and Omu Okiemute                                                                              1 – 12

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils within Selected Communities

In Delta State

Ivwurie W., Emelife S.C., Sun C. and Snape C.                                                                          13 – 18

Impacts of Solid Waste Management Strategies on the Health of School Children

in Oil Producing Communities of Rivers State

Wokocha G.A.                                                                                                                          19 – 23

Studies on the Abiotic Conditions of Karidna Reservoir in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abdulazeez, M.T., Wada, Y., Areo, O.O., Balarabe, M.L., Abdullahi, S.A.                                              24 – 34

Economic Analysis of Pineapple Production in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government

Area of Imo State, Nigeria

Uche Okeke                                                                                                                             35 – 46

Analysis of Credit use by the Beneficiaries of Bank of Agriculture in Onitsha

Agricultural Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria

Uche Okeke                                                                                                                             47 – 59

Mechanism of Thiosulphate Oxidation by Di-μ-Oxo-Tetrakis

(2, 2’- Bipyridine) – Dimanganese (iii, iv) Perchlorate in Acidic Medium

O.A. Babatundeand Patricia Ese Umoru                                                                                                           60 – 72

Characteristics of Cookies Produced from Wheat and Egg Shell Flour

Animashaun, O.H., Bamgbose, A.& Olorode O.O.                                                                                        73 – 80

Mean Cardiac Size Parameters in an Adult Ghanaian Population

(Running Title: Mean Cardiac Size Parameters in Ghanaian Adults)

Edmund K. Brakohiapa, Eric K. Ofori & Jerry Coleman                                                           81-87

Effect of Salinity and the Presence of Pharmaceutical Active Compound

on a Laboratory Scale Biological Wastewater Treatment Reactor

William-Ebi, D. Saroj, D.P. and Jones, C.                                                                                 88-93

Paradigm Shift in the Management of Labour Pain: A Challenge in

Low Income Countries

Dalhatu A., Muhammad, S.M., Amina, S.R.,Nuhu, K. & Abdullahi, A.                                     94-100

PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LABOUR PAIN: A CHALLENGE IN LOW INCOME COUNTRIES

Dalhatu A^a., Muhammad, S.M.^b., Amina, S.R.^a,Nuhu, K ^a. & Abdullahi, A. ^a.

^aDepartment of Nursing Sciences, Bayero University, Kano

^bDepartment of Medicine, Bayero University Kano and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

Email: adamudalhatu206@gmail.com

Abstract: One of the basic functions of government is to provide quality and effective health care services to its citizens. Pain relief in labour has always been surrounded with myths and controversies. Hence, providing effective and safe analgesia during labour has remained an ongoing challenge by social and health care system deficiencies that are aggravated by economic problems.  Health care sector in low income countries is still face with enormous challenges that must be overcome if quality and effective health care service is to be made available to the laboring mothers. This article reviewed relevant literatures related to labour pain, non-pharmacological and pharmacological techniques used in labour pain management which were published by journals nationally and internationally. An overview of the literatures showed that labour pain has been related to evil, magic, witchcraft and demons. As such, pain relief in general was the responsibility of sorcerers, shamans, priests and priestesses who used herbs, rites and ceremonies as their protocol in managing labour pain. Primitive pain management in labour had been crude and largely ineffective and attempts to help relieve pain were based mainly on suggestions and distractions. There has been a great change in the field of labour analgesia with the practice of comprehensive methods of labour pain management using evidence-based Nursing. The major challenges of adopting the shift from the primitive era of labour pain management to the present day practice of using evidence based nursing in low income countries are: social and health care system deficiencies that are aggravated by economic problems. This article concluded by recommending that there should be an increase need in government to standardized maternity health care system in low income countries, empowering research amongst healthcare workers in maternity settings to providing evidence based nursing practice.

EFFECT OF SALINITY AND THE PRESENCE OF PHARMACEUTICAL ACTIVE COMPOUND ON A LABORATORY SCALE BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT REACTOR

¹William-Ebi, D. ²Saroj, D.P. and ³Jones, C.

Niger Delta University, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Wilberforce Island. Bayelsa State

Department of Water Engineering, University of Surrey, Surrey. United Kingdom

Department of Water Engineering, University of Surrey, Surrey. United Kingdom

Email: rhodagumus@yahoo.com

Abstract: The effects of salinity and the presence of Pharmaceutical active Compounds (PhaCs) on the biological treatment efficiency of a lab scale bioreactor with aeration were investigated. The combined effect of salinity and Presence of a pharmaceutical compound Naproxen on the nitrification process was investigated. Naproxen was observed to cause significant inhibition of the ammonia oxidation process with a consequent decrease in nitrification activity and efficiency.  An initial Nitrification rate of 4.5mg NH₄-N L^-1 h^-1was estimated.  Decreased Nitrification rates were observed  with the introduction of naproxen into the reactor system. Decrease in Nitrification rates from 4.5 mg NH₄-N/l-h to 2.5mg NH₄-N/l-h at 1ml, 0.5mg NH₄-N/l-h at 5ml and 0.5 mg NH₄-N/l-h at 100ml naproxen solution respectively.Though inhibition was pronounced the system was observed to have recovered and oxidixed ammonia to nitrates.

Keywords: Salinity, PhACs, Naproxen, Bioreactor, Aeration,Nitrification, Denitrification

MEAN CARDIAC SIZE PARAMETERS IN AN ADULT GHANAIAN POPULATION

(RUNNING TITLE: MEAN CARDIAC SIZE PARAMETERS IN GHANAIAN ADULTS)

Edmund K. Brakohiapa¹, Eric K. Ofori ² & Jerry Coleman ³

¹ University of Ghana, School of Medicine and Dentistry,Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

^2, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana

^3, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

Email: ebrakohiapa2000@yahoo.com, erikof2001@yahoo.co.uk & jerryc714@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT:

PROBLEM STATEMENT: Plain chest radiography is a quick, non-invasive way to evaluate the size of the heart. There is a lack of local data on the normal range of heart sizes parameters for Ghanaian adults. This study therefore aims to generate values for mean heart sizes of Ghanaians.

APPROACH: Aretrospective study involved the reviewof 1047 radiological images of adults aged 20 to 80 years, who had plain frontal chest radiographs between January 2012 and November 2013 by 3 radiologists. Data recorded included the transverse cardiac and thoracic diameter and the cardiothoracic ratios. Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out using the statistical package for social scientist version 17.

RESULTS: The mean age and standard deviation for the study population was 35.1 ± 12.7. The mean and standard deviations for the transverse cardiac diameter, thoracic diameter, and the cardiothoracic ratios for male participants were 13.08cm ± 1.2, 29.7cm ± 2.7 and 46.6 % ± 3.9, and 12.9 cm ± 1.3, 27.1 cm ± 2.6, and 47.8 % ± 4.8 for females. Significant differences (p-values = 0.001) for all the variables were observed between males and females. Significant differences in measurements were observed in males between the 21 – 40years age group and the 41 – 60 years age group only, with respect to the TCD (p= 0.001), CTR (P= 0.032) and TTD (P= 0.001), whilst for females, significant differences were observed in the measurements of TCD and CTR between the age group 21-40 only and all other age groups.

CONCLUSION: The measured average transverse cardiac diameter, transverse thoracic diameter and cardiothoracic ratio for selected Ghanaian adults varied from values suggested by authors in and outside Ghana. Differences in the values between the sexes and among age groups were also observed.

Keywords: Heart Sizes, Transverse Cardiac Diameter, Cardio-Thoracic Ratio.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COOKIES PRODUCED FROM WHEAT AND EGG SHELL FLOUR

^*Animashaun, O.H., Bamgbose, A.& Olorode O.O.

Department of Food Technology,

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta

Email:  traj332002@yahoo.com

Abstract: Cookies are popular snacks commonly consumed by children and adults to provide energy. Quality evaluation of cookies from composite flour of wheat-egg shell powder was assessed. Egg shell was made into powder and fortified in ratios (100:0%, 97.5:2.5%, 95:5%, 92.5:7.5%, 90:10%) for wheat and egg shell flour respectively). The different flour blends was processed into cookies. The cookies produced were then evaluated for proximate composition, mineral composition and sensory attributes using laboratory standard methods. The result of the proximate analysis showed that ash, fibre and protein contents of the cookies sample increased significantly with increase in the level of egg shell powder incorporated with values ranging from 1.70-4.92%, 3.10-6.60%, and 6.52-15.32% respectively. Sample with 10% egg shell powder had the highest value for each of the parameters while control sample (100% wheat) had the least value. The result of the mineral composition also showed that calcium, magnesium and iron content of the samples increased significantly  with increased level of egg shell powder with values ranging from 131-514mg/100g, 48.55-96.26mg/100g and 0.248-1.060mg/100g respectively. The aroma, texture, crispiness, and taste of the fortified cookies had mean scores of 4.7-8.3, 5.4-7.8, 5.4-7.7 and 5.1-8.2 respectively. Cookies fortified with egg shell powder were generally accepted by the panelist up to 10% egg shell powder. Inclusion of egg shell powder up to 10% level is found to improve the nutritional and sensory attributes of the cookies.