scholarly journals Appraisal of Starch-bonded Briquettes Utilization among User-respondents in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Author(s):  
N. David-Sarogoro

The study appraised briquette users’ opinions on the apparent properties and environment friendliness of the briquettes bonded by 30% and 40% starch composited saw dust collected from Marine and Illoabuchi Sawmills in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used amongst 100 plantain (Bo-lae) roasters, meat barbecue (Suya), Garri (carbohydrate based food), and Akara (baked bean cake) respondents to elicit information on use of briquettes as an alternative source of energy on a 4-point Likert scale. The results showed that male user-respondents were 22 (88%) and 21 (84%) and female 3 (12%) from Marine and Illoabuchi sawmills, respectively. The 41-50 respondent age bracket were the most represented in both sawmills-Marine Base and Illoabuchi 12 (48%) and 11 (44%) respectively, followed by 31-40 (7: 28%) and 51-60 (4: 16%) in Illaboachi sawmill, while the 51-60 and 31-40 age groups were 6 (24%) and 5 (20%), respectively. Amongst the businesses run by respondents, users from Marine Base, plantain roasting was highest at 7 (28%), followed by fish barbecue and akara with 6 (24%), Suya had 5(20%), while at Illoabuchi, Suya grillers had 9 (36%), followed by plantain roasters 8 (32%). Garri stewards and Akara had the same 3 (12%). Environment friendliness and physical properties showed that briquettes smoked well with cut off Mark (M =3.04 and 3.80), smelled pleasantly (M=3.03 and 2.68), stuffy and choky smoke (M=0.4 and 1.00) and irritation of eyes had M=3.25 and 4.00 at Illaobuchi and Marine Base sawmills, respectively. Darkening pots, burning with dark smoke and being affected by water had their cut off marks at 1.33 and 1.40 (rejected), 2.63 and 2.50 (accepted) and 2.01 and 2.12 (rejected), portable, cheap and useful had M= 2.45 and 3.00, 3.60 and 3.60 and 3.40 and 3.09 from both mills respectively. This study recommends that briquetting of sawdust from sawmills be promoted via automation to maximize its utilization status.

Author(s):  
Ureh Annabel Oparaodu ◽  
Opubo Benedict da Lilly-Tariah ◽  
Kennedy Warriso

Tropical climate favors the growth of fungal infection in the ear resulting in otomycosis. This study is aimed at determining the predisposing factors, symptoms, prevalence and demographic data of patients diagnosed with otomycosis. This is a 1 year prospective hospital based study, between June 2017 to June 2018 at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State, Nigeria. Clinical features, predisposing factors and examination findings were noted on the administered questionnaire. Patients were examined and specimen collected for microscopy, culture, sensitivity and mycological studies. Our results show isolated fungi were present in 34 out of 120 ear swabs of patients and in 5 out of 120 ear swabs from the control group. The prevalence of otomycosis was 2.7%, while the ear symptom with the highest frequency was itching (86.7%) and debris in ear canal (67.6%). Patients with positive growth constitute 53% females and 47% males. Age groups 10-29 and 40-49 years had the highest and lowest number of infected patients, respectively. Candida was the commonest organism isolated accounting for 61.8% followed by Aspergillus spp. (23.5%) and Penicillium (8.8%).


Author(s):  
T. I. Cookey ◽  
S. Adewuyi- Oseni ◽  
I. O. Okonko ◽  
K. C. Anugweje

Aim: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the causative agent of tuberculosis, is a strictly aerobic bacterium that grows fastidiously and slow, which is among the top 10 causes of death globally and the leading cause from a single infectious agent (above HIV/AIDS). Among the deadly diseases ravaging the world, tuberculosis remains one of the commonest and deadliest. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) among the athletes of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Rivers State, Nigeria. Study Design:  Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Sports Institute, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Nigeria, between June 2012 and July 2015. Methods: A total of 100 university athletes (51 males and 49 females, the age ranged from 15-47 years) was recruited for this study. Blood samples were collected from the athletes and analyzed for serum IgG antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. OneStep Tuberculosis (TB) rapid test was used for the detection of TB antibody (Isotypes IgG, IgM and IgA) in whole blood samples from the subjects. Commercially available ELISA based kits (manufactured by Dia.Pro, Milano, Italy) were also used. Results: The seropositivity of TB among the athletes was 5.0%. The result of the study showed that male athletes had a higher prevalence of tuberculosis than their female counterpart (5.9% vs 4.1%). Subsequently, the age groups 15-25 years had a higher prevalence of tuberculosis (6.5%) compared to age groups 26 years and above (2.6%). A significant association existed between the athletes' ages and TB prevalence (p= 0.035) and none existed with gender (p=0.654). Conclusion: This study confirms the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antibodies among university athletes. Strict surveillance of the diseases is highly recommended to curb its spread and the potential increase in Multidrug-resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and Extensively drug-resistance Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) as it is highly contagious.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136
Author(s):  
KI Akhimienho ◽  
DC Briggs ◽  
IG Enato

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped, gram-negative bacterium that basically colonizes the digestive tract of humans. It is an established cause of anaemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia and affects 70-95% of children in developing countries. We carried out a retrospective study of 140 children, presenting with abdominal discomfort and/or vomiting in a private hospital in Port Harcourt, South-South, Nigeria. Positive serology for H.pylori was established using IgG test kit and Full blood counts were done with an autoanalyzer. Sixty-four (45.7%) of the children studied were serologically positive for H.pylori infection, while 54.3%(76) were negative. H.pylori has been detected in virtually all age groups of children studied. Ten (15.6%) of the children with H.pylori positive serology had anaemia, 3.1%(2) had leucopenia and 12.5%(8) had leucocytosis. None of these was statistically significant. The overall seroprevalence of H.pylori in the children studied was high. Similarly, there was a high prevalence of haematologic derangements in the children with positive H.pylori assay compared to those children with negative serology for H.pylori. This was however not statistically significant. Routine screening of children with symptoms of abdominal discomfort for H.pylori and commencement of treatment for those with positive serology results is not recommended without a confirmatory test.


Author(s):  
Nascine Howell ◽  
Lindsey Erin Overhalser ◽  
Abigail Eliza Randall ◽  
Rachael Dillon

A 2x7 between-subject experiment examined the affect of age on people’s perceptions of facial modifications. Researchers instructed participants aged 18-60 to complete two online surveys. One survey contained 10 modified faces (facial piercings and neck tattoos) and the second survey contained 10 non-modified faces. Participants were instructed to look at each face and rate the face using a 5 point Likert scale on five traits: Trustworthiness, Attractiveness, Confidence, Intelligence and Friendliness. Modified faces were rated higher and perceived more positively than the non-modified faces by participants in all age groups. There was an effect of modification on age groups one (18-23 years old), two (24-29 years), five (30-35 years) and six (36-41 years) for the traits Attractiveness and Confidence. These findings suggest people’s perception of strangers’ is influenced by their own age at the time of the encounter and the age of the faces.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
O. A. F Wokoma ◽  
◽  
O. S Edori ◽  

Wastewater samples were collected from an oil industry at the point of discharge for a period of two years, from January 2018 – December 2019. The wastewater samples were analyzed for different physicochemical parameters such as temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), conductivity, pH, alkalinity, salinity, total hydrocarbon content (THC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) to examine their conformity to fulfill requirements as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) and Drinking Water Association (DWA). The results indicated that all the parameters in the discharged wastewater were within acceptable limits of the regulatory bodies. The field data showed that the investigated firm conformed to the law by carrying out proper procedures before discharging the effluents into the public drain and river. Therefore, the release of wastewater from the industry doesn't constitute a danger to the environment as well as aquatic organisms. Keywords: Physicochemical parameter, wastewater discharge, oil industry, environment, contaminants


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (01-02 & Sp1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Utibe I. Daniel ◽  
◽  
Christiana C. Duru ◽  
Obemeata Oriakpono ◽  
M.O.E. Iwuala

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwang-il Kim ◽  
Eunjeong Ji ◽  
Jung-yeon Choi ◽  
Sun-wook Kim ◽  
Soyeon Ahn ◽  
...  

AbstractWe analyzed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database to determine the trends of hypertension treatment and control rate in Korea over the past 10 years. In addition, we tried to investigate the effect of chronic medical conditions on hypertension management. We investigated the hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rate from 2008 to 2017. KNHANES, which uses a stratified multistage sampling design, is a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey conducted by the Korean government. A total of 59,282 adults (≥ 20 years) were included, which was representative of the total population of around 40 million Koreans per year. The mean age was 50.7 ± 16.4 years and 42.6% were male. The prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and obesity significantly increased over the 10 years. During this period, the hypertension treatment and control rate significantly improved. Hypertension treatment rate was significantly lower in the younger age group compared to the older age group, but the control rate among the treated patients was not significantly different between age groups. The treatment and control rates of hypertension were higher in patients with multimorbidity, which implies that it has a favorable effect on the treatment and control of hypertension. Hypertension treatment and control rate have improved over the past 10 years. The higher treatment and control rate in patients with multimorbidity suggest that the more aggressive surveillance might be associated with the improvement of hypertension treatment and control rate in Korea.


1981 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Gibbs Candy ◽  
Lillian E. Troll ◽  
Sheldon G. Levy

Interpersonal attachments in adulthood were explored through the investigation of the friendship functions in 172 women from 14 through 80. A priori functions were rated by the respondents on a Likert-Scale for their five best friends. Factor analyses revealed three orthogonal factors which characterized friendship for all age groups, “intimacy-assistance,” “status,” and “power.” One way analyses of variance (function by age groups) found no significant age differences between age groups for the function of “intimacy-assistance.” Significant differences for the functions of “status” and “power” were, however, apparent. Women from adolescence through the fifties rated their friends as decreasingly less important for “status” purposes, while women sixty and over rated this function very highly. “Power” decreased with increasing age through the fifties. There was a slight nonsignificant increase in the 60+ age group. These findings are discussed in relation to cognitive changes and developmental issues within various life-stages.


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