ABSTRACT Gongronema latifolium is an edible tropical rainforest plant traditionally used as a spice, staple vegetable and in the treatment and management of diabetes. Extensive studies have established its hypoglycaemic effect. However, scanty information is available on the mechanism by which it exerts its hypoglycaemic effect. Studies have noted the presence of saponin in G. latifolium, a component noted to affect gastric emptying (GE). Presently, the possible effect of G. latifolium on GE...
ABSTRACT Rift valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease caused by Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) with impact on animal and human health. Vaccines developed against RVF have safety and efficacy concerns and administered by needles posing risks of RVFV transmission. This study reports the safety and immunogenicity of attenuated RVF MP-12 and its recombinant arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccines. A total of 32 sheep, 15 goats and 23 zebu calves were vaccinated with 1x105 plaque forming units (PFU)/ml of M...
ABSTRACT An epidemiological survey was conducted between November and December 2007 in 30 randomly selected villages and four slaughterslabs in Mbozi and Mbeya Rural districts, southern Tanzania, to determine the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis. Fifteen villages and three slaughterslabs were from Mbozi and fifteen villages and one slaughterslab were from Mbeya Rural. A total of 600 live pigs (300 in each district) of different sex and age categories were randomly selected from smallholde...
ABSTRACT The study was aimed at assessing the retirement preparedness among civil servants in State Health Board, Enugu. Four objectives and three hypotheses guided the study. A prospective descriptive survey design was used and the population of the study was 82 civil servants retiring between 2016 –2020 and they constituted the subject of the study. Responses were elicited from respondents using researcher’s developed questionnaire. The instrument was validated using face and content v...
ABSTRACT Edwardsiella tarda is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that causes Edwardsiellosis in cultured and wild fish. It is among the most important bacterial diseases causing severe economic losses in fish worldwide. This study was carried out to determine the occurrence and characterize E. tarda in cultured Nile tilapia and African catfish from selected fish farms in Wakiso district, Uganda. A total of 111 fish samples were collected from 17 fish farms between September 2016 and Feb...
Abstract Regional variations in splenic size and spleen parenchymal echo-texture among sickle cell disease (SCD) patients have been documented in various publications. The objectives of this study were to: determine and compare the spleen size of SCD patients with those of the control; characterize the spleen parenchymal echo-texture of SCD patients; and ascertain the relationships of age, height and weight with the spleen sizes of SCD patients and the controls. This was a cross sectional pr...
ABSTRACT Fragmentation and its effects on avifauna is a study that was conducted in upper River Njoro watershed covering about 280km2 . The watershed is under threat from increasing human activities that have led to rapid changes in land cover and deterioration of environmental and habitat conditions for birds. These include replacement of indigenous trees with exotic types, clearing of riparian vegetation, cultivation of river banks, deforestation and forest fragmentation. The study’s mai...
ABSTRACT The mobility of nitrate-N (NO3-N), nitrite-N (NO2-N) and ammonium-N (NH4-N) down the soil profile and its ultimate presence in groundwater is aggravated by predisposing conditions such as farm agricultural activities and nitrogen fertilizer management, rainfall, seasons and well sanitary conditions. The main objective of the study was to assess the groundwater nitrogen loading compared in different farm sizes. The study was conducted in three agro-ecological wards of Ainabkoi sub-co...
ABSTRACT Geophagia is defined as deliberate consumption of earths’ materials e.g. soil, clay and soft stones. The practice is widespread among pregnant women and there are conflicting views as to whether it is beneficial to health or not. Geophagic materials may be a source of micronutrients though the materials may bind the micronutrients thus reducing or hindering their bioavailability in the body. Geophagia is closely associated with geohelminthic infections among pregnant women and hea...
ABSTRACT Climate change resulting from global warming is currently one of the global environmental issues of concern. Trees play a very important role in mitigating this problem through sequestrating carbon dioxide which is one of the major green house gases. The importance of trees is incontestable as they have many environmental, social and economic benefits. Effective community participation plays an important strategy for ensuring adequate tree cover but in some communities, some socio-c...
ABSTRACT In the ASAL part of West Pokot County the growing season for agricultural activities occurs during the peak rainfall season, during March, April and May (MAM) season. This study thus sought to quantify MAM rainfall variability and its associated impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Senetwo location where the study was conducted. This was achieved by analyzing daily rainfall data from 1983 to 2013 and household survey. Using data from a survey of 125 farm households, ...
ABSTRACT Floating macrophytes have the capacity to improve wastewater quality by absorbing nutrients thus purifying pre-treated wastewater and have been found to be more appropriate for effluent in developing countries. This is due to their effective and extensive root system and moderate capital investment required in their engagement in wastewater treatment. They are especially appropriate for tropical countries due to the warm climate experienced in these regions which support rapid plant...
ABSTRACT This quasi-experimental study compared the relative efficacy of teacher instructions alone, peer education alone, and a combination of these two on reproductive health knowledge, attitude, perceived self-efficacy and sexual practices among secondary schools students in the lbarapa district of Southwestern Nigeria. 1 baseline questionnaire was administered to a systematic sample of students ill four schools that were randomized into four rrearment arms: teacher instructions alone (E'l...
Abstract Background: Release-retarding polymers in matrix tablets play a vital role in controlling drug release from tablets. Objectives: To prepare metoprolol succinate tablets by direct compression using Ofada rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud) starch acetate, degree of substitution (DS) 2.22, as a matrix for sustained release. Materials and methods: The central composite design and response surface methodology were applied to evaluate the interactive effects of three variables: percent conte...
ABSTRACT Undernutrition is a big challenge in the world though the rate of stunting has been decreasing in the past two decades. Most of undernourished children are in developing countries, comprising about one quarter of all stunted children in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of child care practices on the nutritional status of under five children in Ileje district, Songwe region, Tanzania. A cross sectional study involving of 365 children aged 0 - 59 month...