Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences
The Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences (GJPAS) is an open access, peer-reviewed, inter- and multidisciplinary scientific journal that is dedicated to archiving and expanding access to scientific research, increasing Nigerian, African, and international scientific collaboration, and building academic culture and research capacity in areas of science and technology. The journal publishes articles online immediately after an article is accepted for publication. The journal aims at providing an avenue for modern scientific, highly-visible research platforms for the publication of science-oriented research. The journal welcomes and publishes articles from all scientific disciplines in the following categories: CHM – Chemistry CSIT - Computer Science and Information Technology LIFS - Life and Health Sciences MATS – Mathematical Science MRI - Microbial Research and Innovations NNB – Nanoscience, Nanotechnology and Bioinformatics PHY - Physical Sciences SP - Sciences and Policy PNP - Phytochemistry and Natural Product Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences (GJPAS) is a journal of the Faculty of Science, Bauchi State University Gadau (BASUG) and welcomes submissions of full-text research articles, reviews, short communications, and letters to the editor.
Faculty of Science, Bauchi State University Gadau (BASUG)
Determinants of obesity and overweight among school-aged children in Bauchi, Nigeria: A mixed-methods study
Background: Childhood obesity is an escalating public health issue with serious long-term implications. This study investigates the factors contributing to overweight and obesity among school-aged children in Bauchi, Nigeria, utilizing a mixed-methods design. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 600 students aged 11–15 from primary schools in Bauchi. Quantitative data, that covered socio-demographics, physical activity, and dietary habits, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Spearman correlations, Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression. In-depth interviews with school administrators and physical education teachers provided qualitative insights into challenges and facilitators of healthy behaviors. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between gender and obesity status (p = 0.0053), with females exhibiting greater BMI variation. Physical activity was inversely associated with BMI (r = -0.45, p = 0.002). Dietary assessments indicated frequent consumption of sugary snacks and limited intake of balanced meals. Qualitative findings identified major obstacles such as inadequate facilities, weak policy implementation, and low community involvement. Schools that prioritized physical education and nutrition policies saw greater student participation in healthy activities. Conclusion: Tackling childhood obesity necessitates a comprehensive strategy that includes enhancing school infrastructure, expanding access to recreational facilities, and enforcing dietary and physical activity policies. Future efforts should emphasize community-based interventions and stronger policy implementation to achieve lasting change.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Deep Learning-Based Predictive Model for Pattern Recognition and Classification of Cancerous Skin
Detecting cancerous skin lesions early is essential for improving treatment outcomes and saving lives. However, traditional diagnostic methods often depend on expert judgment, which can be time-consuming and sometimes subjective. To address this challenge, our study introduces a deep learning-based predictive model designed to recognize patterns and classify cancerous skin lesions automatically using medical images. The model leverages convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to capture key visual features from dermoscopic images and employs advanced classification layers to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions with high accuracy. The model was developed and validated using a comprehensive and diverse dataset of dermoscopic images retrieved from the online repository. Through systematic fine-tuning, we optimized the network’s performance with a particular focus on accuracy, precision, and recall, aiming to support dermatologists in clinical decision-making. The resulting outputs of this study demonstrates that the proposed model is both robust and effective in detecting various types of skin cancer, including melanoma, while maintaining a low rate of false positives. Compared to existing diagnostic -methods, the model achieved improved outcomes, recording a precision of 0.92, an accuracy of 89.21%, and a recall of 0.91. These results underscore the significant potential of deep learning to enhance early detection, reduce the reliance on invasive procedures, and ultimately contribute to better patient outcomes.
Skin cancer detection; Deep learning; Convolutional neural network; Image classification; medical imaging.
Vectrix: A Proposed Mathematical Structure and Its Application in Cryptography
This paper studies the security of the Hill cipher through its key space and the entropy of the keys, the analysis was extended to a proposed structure called Vectrix (plural, Vectrices). The key space of the existing cipher is defined by the space of non-singular matrices, and for the proposed algorithm it is define by the space of non-sigular Vectrices. In each case, Shannon entropy was used to measure the associated uncertainty. The results show that, the entropy associated with Vectrix key is triple of the entropy of the traditional Hill Cipher key and the key space is cubic power of the key space of the respective Matrix key space.
Evaluation of Anti-hyperglycemic Effects of Sodom Apple (Calotropis Procera) Leaf in Diabetes Patients at General Hospital, Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder with increasing prevalence in Nigeria, traditional medicine, including Sodom apple (Calotropis procera) leaf, has been explored as an alternative treatment. This study was carried out at General Hospital, Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria and Bioscience laboratory of Sa’adu Zungur University Bauchi State to see the anti-hypoglycemic effect of Sodom Apple leaf (Colotropis procera) and phytochemical screening of the leaf. The leaves sample of the plant was collected from Botanical garden of Sa’adu Zungur University Bauchi State. The phytochemical screening revealed and quantified the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in a percentage of 29.1 and 2.8%, respectively. The leaves of Colotropis procera with length 13.5cm long was placed under the feet covered with soaks to generate heat for it to release the active compound for 8hrs per day up to 3days. Fasted blood sugar level test was conducted to see the effectiveness of the leaves at the 3rd day. Methanol and aqueous extracts were found to be highly effective in extracting a wide range of phytochemicals, including alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, and terpenoids, with aqueous extracts offering a more diverse profile. Ethanol extracts selectively extracted specific compounds, such as steroids and terpenoids, albeit in smaller quantities. Phytochemical analysis revealed reducing sugars, phenols, and flavonoids, which contribute to the antioxidant properties of the extracts. In diabetic patients, treatment with C. procera leaf extracts significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels across three groups, with Group 1 showing the most pronounced reduction (from 28.6 mmol/L to 10.0 mmol/L). Groups 2 and 3 also exhibited substantial decreases (from 27.3mmol/L to 12.0mmol/L and from 27.6 mmol/L to 11.6 mmol/L, respectively). These effects could be attributed to the bioactive compounds' abilities to enhance insulin secretion, improve glucose utilization, protect pancreatic β-cells from oxidative stress, and reduce inflammation. The findings suggest that C. procera leaf extract is a promising candidate for diabetes management due to its efficacy, affordability, and minimal side effects.
Copyright (c) 2024 Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On the Mathematical Analysis of a Campylobacteriosis Model for Human and Animal Population
Campylobacteriosis, a major cause of foodborne illnesses has continued to claim millions of lives globally. Thus, concerted needs to be put in place in order to curtail further loss of lives due to the disease. In this study, an analysis is conducted on the reproduction number, sensitivity analysis is also carried out on the parameters of the model connected to the reproduction number and the possibility of backward bifurcation of the campylobacteriosis mathematical model is explored. Results from the sensitivity analysis show that the most sensitive parameters are the infection rates, progression rate and the treatment rate for humans. It is further observed that as the human recruitment rate and treatment rate for symptomatic human population increases, the reproduction number also increases. This implies that it will not be possible to eliminate campylobacteriosis in the community with at least 70% treatment rate administered to the symptomatic human population. The analysis of the campylobacteriosis model reveals that the model exhibits the phenomenon of backward bifurcation under certain conditions, where a stable disease-free equilibrium (DFE) coexists with a stable endemic equilibrium (EE) when the associated reproduction number is less than unity. It is further shown for a special case that, a unique endemic equilibrium exists whenever the associated reproduction number is greater than unity.
Prevalence of Human Rotavirus Infection among under Five years Old Children Attending Some Selected Healthcare Facilities Within the Bauchi Metropolis, Nigeria
Rotavirus infection remains a leading cause of illness and death among children under five worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, including Nigeria. In Northeastern Nigeria, specifically Bauchi State, there is scarce information regarding the prevalence of enteric rotavirus. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rotavirus in Bauchi State. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to identify children with symptoms related to rotavirus gastroenteritis, including watery diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, stomach pain and loss of appetite. Stool samples were aseptically collected from 200 children attending six selected healthcare facilities within the Bauchi metropolis. Rotavirus antigen was detected using an enzyme immunoassay kit. On the other hand, a standardized structured questionnaire was used to obtain additional information (socio-demographic factors, clinical symptoms and hospital location) from the parents/guardians of the children. In this study, the overall prevalence of rotavirus infection was 20.0%. The highest rate of rotavirus infection was in the 2 weeks to 2 months age group at 26.7%, and the lowest was in the 1 to 5 years group at 10.2%, although these differences were not statistically significant (P=0.119). Notably, rural residents had a higher infection rate (41.2%) compared to urban residents (4.3%), with a significant difference found (P=0.001). The study found a higher prevalence of rotavirus infection in children who don’t attend daycare (45.5%) than those who do (3.4%, P=0.001). Among children under five, the highest prevalence was at ATBU Teaching Hospital Bauchi Nigeria (26.7%), and the lowest was at Family Planning Kofar Wase, Bauchi (21.7%). However, statistical tests showed no association between infection and location (P=0.244). The study has demonstrated a high prevalence of rotavirus infection in Bauchi State Nigeria, with a significant association between rotavirus infection and attendance at daycare facilities and rural residences. There is an urgent need to implement the rotavirus vaccine.
Flavonoid-rich extract of unripe Terminalia catappa Modulates Redox Status and Aging in Lead-Induced Neuro-genotoxic Drosophila
Terminalia catappa (Indian almond) fruit is an oval fruit in shape, growing on a large tree found mostly in the tropical region. The tree has wide health applications and benefits various African and Asian communities. However, there is little documented evidence of its effects on neuroprotection and longevity. This study explored the neuroprotective potential of the flavonoid content from the unripe fruit part of the plant against lead-induced neurogenotoxicity in a fly model (Drosophila melanogaster). Two to three days old male and female flies were harvested and used for the experiment. Negative geotaxis and flies’ pupation assays were employed for the assessment of the flies' behavior. Phase II antioxidant enzymes’ activities and their expression levels were evaluated to ascertain the redox status of the flies before and after the toxicants exposure. Following the effective dose determination assay, 3.0 and 5.0 mg/g diets were found to be highly effective, meanwhile a concentration of 0.1 µg/g diet of lead (Pb) successfully induced neuro and genotoxicity. There was a remarkable improvement in the emergence of new and the locomotor function of the matured flies fed with the extract before their exposure to the toxic environment compared to the control group. Significant increase in the activity of Catalase, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Glutathione-s-transferase (GST) with concurrent reduction of AChE activity in the extract pre-fed flies. A similar effect was also recorded in the mRNA expression level of the corresponding genes when evaluated using a polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The collective findings of the present study revealed the potential neuro and gene protection effect of the studied extract through antioxidant and antiaging enzyme activities against Lead-induced toxicity in D. melanogaster. Showcasing the potential of the fruit as a source of nutraceuticals that could improve the wellness and quality of human lives when further studied.
G0W0 Calculations of optoelectronic properties of Graphene/hBN for Solar cells and near infrared Photodetector.
It is known that low optical absorption in graphene-based devices can be dramatically improved. However, integrating hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with graphene in a heterostructure appears to be a promising approach to open the band gap in graphene in order to overcome the low absorption behavior in graphene-based devise for optoelectronic applications. Hence, to expose the hidden potential of hBN heterostructure, detailed knowledge of its electronic properties are needed. In this paper, electronic properties of hBN/graphene heterostructure are performing by highly accurate first-principles many-body perturbation theory. The calculated G0W0 band gap of hBN sheet was found to be 6.09 eV and this value is in good agreement with experimental value of 6 eV. For the heterostructure the calculated band gaps of hBN/graphene by varying the interlayer distance from 1.5 to 3.5 Å was found to be 1.76, 1.70, 0.84, 0.22 0.04 eV for interlayer distance of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 eV. The energy analysis of hBN/graphene heterostructure reveals that the most stable configuration is the one in which the either B or N atom of hBN facing to graphene is above the hole center of graphene. More attractively, strong absorption within visible light wavelengths in hBN/graphene sheets suggest that the heterostructure is a promising candidate for solar cells applications.
Graphene, hBN, DFT, G0W0, Electron-electron interaction
Differential Game of Two Pursuers Chasing One Evader with Different Forms of Constraints in l_2- Space
This paper addresses a pursuit differential game involving two Pursuers chasing one Evader within the l2 -space for an infinite system of first-order differential equations. The first Pursuer employs a strategy that satisfied integral constraint, while the second Pursuer uses a strategy governed by a geometric constraint. The goal of each pursuer is to force the state of the system to coincide with a predefined state within a finite time, counteracting the Evader's opposing actions. We construct an explicit strategy to determine the conditions necessary for successful pursuit. Moreover, we explore a control problem involving a single player.
A Systematic study of structural and electronic properties of beryllium and nitrogen co-doped stanene for optoelectronic application
This paper investigates the structural and electronic properties of doped/co-doped stanene with Be and N atoms using first principles calculations. The computed lattice parameters, bond length and bond angle with van der Waals corrections (vdW-DFC09x) were found to be close to the experimental results. Band structure calculations revealed that pure stanene is a zero-band gap material with Dirac cone located at K-point and this matched very well with previous theoretical and experimental results. Be doped stanene exhibits a band gap above the Fermi level of 0.29, 0.56 and 1.1 eV for 5.6 %, 11.1 % and 16.7 % concentrations, indicating that Be doped stanene could behave as degenerate semiconductor. For N doped stanene the band-gap below the Fermi level were 0.30, 0.45 and 0.96 eV for 5.6 %, 11.1 % and 16.7 % doping concentrations. Our results show that there is transition from metallic nature as in the case of pure stanene to semiconductor for Be and N mono-doped stanene. Additionally, Be-N co-doped stanine opens up a wider band gap in comparison with the mono doping. A band gap value of 1.24 eV was formed above the Fermi level in the case of Be-N co-doping showing p-type character. Accordingly, our findings suggested that Be-N co-doped stanene is a promising material for optoelectronic, solar and other application like Be-N co-doped graphene.
Isolation, Screening and Biochemical Characterization of Used Engine Oil Degrading Bacillus Species and Pseudomonas Species
Extensive demand of natural resources has resulted in several large-scale unintentional hydrocarbon oil spills and environmental catastrophes due to the rising demand for fossil fuel energy. These hydrocarbon pollutants have effect on environment and human health. Spectrophotometric and Biochemical Methods are used for the research. Soil sample were collected from two different contaminated areas and used engine oil, the bacteria were isolated and tested for evaluation of bacterial growth and biodegradation by enrichment technique using Bushnell Hass broth with used engine oil as sole carbon source. The results show that Pseudomonas specie were capable of degrading used engine oil which remove 80% of the oil and Bacillus specie which remove 65% of the used engine oil. This illustrates that hydrocarbon biodegrading bacteria can be used for remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil.
The Histopathological Changes in the Gills and Liver of the African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Juveniles Exposed to Crude Stem Bark Extracts of Adenium obesum (Desert Rose)
Histopathological alterations in fish organs are among the biomarkers used to measure the impact of toxicants, providing insights into the effects of environmental contamination on aquatic organisms. This study investigated the effects of acute concentrations (0.00, 6.5, 8.0, 9.5, 11.0 and 12.5 mg/L) of stem bark crude extract of Adenium obesum on the histopathological changes in the liver and gills of Clarias gariepinus juveniles over a period of 96 hours in a static non-renewable bioassay. Mean water quality parameters (free carbondioxide, dissolved oxygen content, pH and total alkalinity levels) and histo-architectural integrity of liver and gills were determined using standard methods. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in all the studied physico-chemical parameters of the water compared with control. There was marked pieces of evidence of concentration-dependent alteration to the gills and liver histological organizations. The acute investigations revealed that acute exposure of catfish juveniles to A. obesum stem bark crude extract culminated in both water quality parameters and histological alterations in gills and liver more particularly the higher concentrations of extract in the acute exposure.
Acute toxicity, Adenium obesum, Catfish, Histopathology, Gills, Liver
Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Based Superabsorbent Hydrogel from Rice Husk Cross-Linked With Ethane-1, 2-Diamine Using a Microwave
Superabsorbent hydrogels are being increasingly used as soil conditioners to enhance soil water retention, reduce the rate of irrigation and improve plant growth during drought. In the present work, superabsorbent hydrogel was prepared from cellulose based material with ethylenediamine as the crosslinking agent and evaluates it impact as water reservoir on maize growing in greenhouse. The cellulose isolated from rice husk, which has a basis to modify and obtain carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and monochloroacetic acid (MCA). The superabsorbent hydrogel was characterized by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The percentage swelling attained by optimum conditions of time, power and amount of cross-linker required for the production of most desirable, stable and high water absorptivity were investigated, the optimum swelling capacity was found to be 1175%. The control pot (no superabsorbent hydrogels) revealed a significant difference in plant growth parameter and growth yield parameters compared to the pots treated with superabsorbent hydrogels. Increase in hydrogel dose significantly affects the growth and yield parameter of the maize. The optimum were recorded at 5grams for the superabsorbent hydrogels.
Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in Drinking Water from some Selected Districts of Michika, Adamawa State, Nigeria
Radionuclides are source of radiation that were recorded to have damaging health effects for people living in a community with high back-ground radiation. This study was carryout to assess natural radioactivity in drinking water sources at some districts of Michika, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Twenty-four (24) water Samples from three different sources (surface, borehole and well), were collected and analyzed using a thallium activated 3ʺ x 3ʺ sodium iodide [NaI (TI)] detector connected to ORTEC 456 amplifier available at Center of Energy Research and Training (CERT), Zaria. The results show that the mean activity concentration for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K are 57.05, 40.31 and 193.6 Bql-1 for borehole samples, 82.09, 23.0 and 199.4 for surface samples and 87.65, 38.82 and 215.7 for well samples. These values are higher than the control value of activity concentration set by UNSCEAR 200). The mean absorbed dose rate (D) for borehole, surface and well water samples were found to be 58.78, 60.1 and 72.94 nGy/h respectively. The mean values surface and well samples were higher than the maximum accepted value of 59nGy/h as recommended by (UNSCEAR, 2000) however, borehole is within the MCL. The mean values of total annual effective dose for borehole, surface and well water samples were 0.08, 0.08 and 0.09 respectively. These values are below 0.12, 0.1 and 1.0 mSvy-1 as recommended by UNSCEAR, WHO and ICRP. Also, the mean values of Radium Equivalent Activity were 129.6, 130.4 and 159.8 Bql-1 for borehole, surface and well water samples respectively. All the value of Raeq were below the maximum recommended value of 370 Bql-1. The mean value of total cancer risk is 3.18E-06, 3.25E-06 and 3.91E-06 for borehole, surface and well water samples respectively. All the mean values were above the acceptable range of 1E-06 to 1E-04. Based on our findings, the water sources in this area are not safe for domestic use. However continuous radiological monitoring of the water is recommended to safeguard the health of the populace.
PHARMACOLOGY OF SPONDIAS MOMBIN IN LIVER CANCER TREATMENT AND TOXICITY EVALUATION
Cancer is among the major causes of death in the world. Spondias mombin is a natural product being accepted as medication for many diseases. This research aimed at evaluating the toxicity potential and pharmacology properties of Spondias mombin leaves in liver cancer treatment. Spondias mombin leaves were shade dried at room temperature and size reduced to powder and extracted using cold maceration. Phytochemical screening of the plant extract was conducted. Six weeks of healthy mice; weighing 22-25g were used. For acute toxicity studies, ten mice were grouped into a normal control group and another group received 2000mg/kg of the extract. The animals were observed closely for 14 days. Twenty-four mice were divided into 4 groups. One group served as control and received only saline at 10mls/kg and the other groups received one percent diethylnitrosamine (DEN) given via peritoneal injection to the mice weekly at a dose of 35mg/kg for six weeks. The remaining three groups received 250 mg/kg, 500 mg, and doxorubicin 2 mg/kg after four weeks of induction. The treatment commenced with the extract while still giving the DEN for cancer induction. The phytochemical analysis shows the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins, phenolic compounds, steroids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, and the absence of carbohydrates anthraquinones. Animals exposed to the extract and observed for 14 days exhibited no obvious sign of toxicity with zero mortality during the period of observation. There is a slight weight change among the control group between 20.8±3.56 to 25.63 2.60.The creatinine, CL, and HCO3 of the control significantly (P˂0.005) differed from the study groups. There was a slight increase in weight after the first dose, though a steady decrease was noticed following the second, third, and fourth doses of DEN in the mice. ALT and AST were higher in the extract-treated groups compared to both Dox-treated and saline-treated groups. The extract was shown to have no obvious physical sign of toxicity and it doesn’t cause mortality in all the tested animals. Ethanol extract of the plant reversed the loss in weight, deterioration in liver enzymes, and protein production to an extent similar to that of standard anti-cancer agents.
Effect of Curcuma longa Supplement on Cognitive Performance in Swiss Albino Mice
Dementia is an age-related mental disorder and a characteristic symptom of various neurodegenerative disorders. Hyperglycemia affects areas of the brain crucial for learning and memory processes, potentially leading to cognitive impairments in individuals with diabetes. Curcuma longa (C. longa) contains many pharmacological and chemically important compounds with many beneficial effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Curcuma longa on cognitive function in Swiss albino mice. A total of sixteen (16) mice of both sexes weighing between 24 – 30 grams were used for the study. The mice were divided into four groups of four mice each (N=4). Group I served as control and received 10 ml/kg distilled water; groups II, III and IV were given 5%, 10% and 20 % of Curcuma longa for 14 days respectively. Y maze and novel object recognition task were used to assess spatial working, long-term and recognition memories respectively. We observed that the 5% C. longa (77.60 ± 10.15%) group showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in percentage alternation compared to the control group (64.40 ± 5.99%). We also found out that the 5% C. longa supplemented group showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in both long-term memory (-14.08 ± 3.26) and discriminative index (-0.26 ± 0.07) when compared to control group (-31.55 ± 2.65) and (-0.33 ± 0.07) respectively. Thus, C. longa supplement at 5% improves spatial working memory, long-term memory and discriminative index of Swiss albino mice.
A Review on the Characterization of Dinitrogen Substituted Cyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (CpMn(CO3)N2)
This review details the use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopic methods, to characterize dinitrogen complexes formed following the photolysis of cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl ((ƞ5-C5H5)Mn(CO)3), in the presence of N2. The review was performed to explore the information relating to the structure and bonding modes of dinitrogen to the metal Centre. The main aim here was to explore the utilization of Raman spectroscopy in complimenting the application of Infrared spectroscopy in the characterization of organometallic complexes.
The Effect of Bio-fortified Vitamin A Cassava on Poverty Status of Farming Households in Nigeria, Evidence from Oyo State.
ABSTRACT Profitable farming is a prime target of all farmers regardless of the scale of production adopted and the veritable opportunity to attain the threshold of bumper harvest is not unconnected with the adoption of new technology. Bio-fortified vitamin A cassava remains the best option for farmers to experience improvement in cassava performance in both the quality and quantity terms and they are encouraged to adopt it in order to improve their households’ welfare. The survey was launched to investigate the effect of bio-fortified vitamin A cassava on the poverty status of the farming households in Nigeria using Oyo State as a case study. A Multistage sampling technique was used to sample a total of 186 cassava farmers comprising 92 adopters and 94 non-adopters of bio-fortified vitamin A cassava variety using copies of well-structured questionnaires. Parametric tools used were descriptive statistics and probit regression for socioeconomic characteristics and adoption status analysis. The socioeconomic results showed that both the adopters and non-adopters were in the productive ages of 42 years and 59 years respectively. The majorities of farmers in the two categories were married and had formal education. Years of experience possessed by them were 11 years and 18 years while both groups were members of associations. Poverty classification result showed 41.3% of adopters being poor while 83.0% of non-adopters were poor. Marital status (2.1271<p=0.05), education (1.1510; p<0.1), seasonal income (0.0757; p=0.05) and poverty status (I.6019; p<0.1) had influence on the farmers’ adoption status while lack of credit was voted highest among the factors militating against adoption of bio-fortified vitamin A cassava. It is therefore recommended that stakeholders in the crop enterprise should make frantic efforts in providing credit and other basic inputs that will enhance improved vitamin A adoption.
Influence of socio-demographic factors, working experience, and previous training experience on the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Patent Medicine Vendors in a Nigerian community
Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) are non-pharmacist operated drug-dealers and are the commonest sources of Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications and services in sub-Saharan Africa. PMVs provide primary care and are hinted to play a more critical role in controlling malaria, being the major public health challenge. Inadequate skilled manpower informs the drafting of PMVs into malaria management in various endemic regions. This study examines the relationship between PMVs knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) and their personal factors (socio-demographic characteristics, working experiences and previous training experiences). 292 PMV respondents were selected and randomized into intervention and wait-list arms, with 146 respondents in each arm respectively. Simple random sampling and systematic random sampling techniques were used to select the local government councils and subsequently participants from the study district respectively. Baseline data on KAP of respondents with varying ages, gender, educational levels, working experiences and training experiences were analysed using SPSS version 26, to ascertain the influencing factors on KAP. Total response rate was 99.6%, with 100% and 99.3% for intervention and wait-list arms respectively. Knowledge, attitudes and the practices of respondents all showed statistically significant relationships with educational levels (p<0.001). But only knowledge showed significant relationship with attending trainings (p = 0.032). Conversely respondent’s attitudes and their practices showed no statistically significant relationship (p>0.05) with attending trainings and with working experiences. The study gave evidence of the relationships of personal factors with KAP of respondents. Educational levels influenced knowledge, attitudes and practices, while attending trainings influenced only knowledge of respondents.
Assessment of bacteriological quality of fruits and vegetables sold in Gombe metropolitan market
Fruits and vegetables are important components of human diet that could be contaminated by different kinds of microorganisms. Microbial contamination may occur during any steps of transportation or processing from farm-to-table due to many environmental, animal, and human sources as well as technological applications. This study aimed at assessing the bacteriological contaminants of fruits and vegetables sold in Gombe metropolitan. A total of 30 fruits and vegetables samples were purchased from different vendors and transported to the Microbiology Laboratory for processing. Ten-fold serial dilution was performed on each sample and aliquots of 10-1-10-3 dilutions were inoculated on Nutrient Agar and MacConkey Agar plates using pour-plate technique. The plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37oC and then observed for aerobic mesophilic and faecal coliform counts. The bacterial loads of the samples ranged from 3.7x104 to 2.7x105 and 2.9x104 to 8.7x104 for total mesophilic and faecal coliform counts, respectively. Subsequently, a total of eight bacteria were isolated and identified as Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Shigella spp. In conclusion, the fruits and vegetables were found to be contaminated with different bacterial species of public health concern.
Cross-sectional study on prevalence of typhoid and health risk factors among pregnant women attending general hospital, Azare, Bauchi state, Nigeria
Typhoid fever is among the major prevalent disease in Nigeria due to various interconnected factors such as scarce amenities for handling unwanted products and abuse of antibiotics; these among other factors are responsible for the widespread of typhoid fever affecting both underage children and young adults. This study was a descriptive cross-sectional conducted from September to November, 2023. The study population consisted of adults female age ranged from 18 years and above. A pilot study was conducted which tested the validity and reliability of the instruments. The response rate was 100% for there were no non-consenting respondents. The study variables were independent and dependent. Data was analyzed using SPSS Computer software version 11. The processed data was presented in Tables, Pie chart; and Chi-square test of independence (contingency tables) was used to determine if there was a relationship between control measures of typhoid and it’s occurrence in the study area. The study revealed that those with low level of education suffered from typhoid more than those who had attained a higher level of education and therefore education played a key role in the prevalence of typhoid among pregnant women based on the study. It has been shown that the higher the level of education the more the typhoid prevalence decreased among the adults as in primary, secondary and college levels respectively. The findings of this study also showed that 63% of the pregnant women had suffered from typhoid fever in one or more times in their life time, and only 37% had not. This is a clear indication that typhoid fever is prevalent among pregnant women attending General hospital in Azare. The results showed that those with low level of education were more than 50% and they suffered from typhoid episodes in their lifetime more than those with higher level of education. This study revealed that 63% did not have water storage facility while 37% provided water storage facilities within their households. The results of the study found that 80.2% of the residents had temporary houses, 14.4% had semi-permanent houses and 5.4% had permanent houses. These statistics reveal that most of the residents were poor and that they were vulnerable to poor housing which could promote poor state of sanitation. Poor sanitation practices are a cause of bacterial, viral, protozoa, and helminthic infections. Similarly, on waste collection 82.9% were dissatisfied about it, and 17.1% were satisfied. The main reason of dissatisfaction on waste collection was that it was done unprofessionally (52.9%) and irregularly (36.3%). The majority (47.1%) of the residents of the area under study felt that the drainage systems posed a problem of leaking, 36% felt the problem with drainage was smell and 16.9% felt that drainage system were contaminating their surface water sources.
CSIT Analysis of Key Management Schemes for Centralized and Distributed Key Revocation in Wireless Sensor Networks
Wireless sensor network (WSN) applications have been utilized for a variety of applications. Such as monitoring environments, military functions, and patient status monitoring. A major challenge in different applications of WSNs is security. This is because they are mostly deployed in a hostile environment, coupled with their constrained resources. Securing data and communication in WSNs requires appropriate cryptographic techniques. This is usually implemented through secure and efficient key management schemes. Research on key management in WSN is a work in progress. In this context, most research works focus on the key establishment and distribution aspect of the key management system. While less attention is devoted to key revocation and renewal techniques. For this reason, network and protocol designers encounter challenges in the design and implementation of the most appropriate schemes for WSN applications. This research work presents an exhaustive review of categories of key revocation schemes in existence. The study focuses on centralized and distributed categories only. A comparative analysis of the security and performance requirements of some selected candidates of centralized and distributed schemes was carried out. The results show that the KRRP scheme is the only solution among the selected candidates that can guarantee end-to-end data secrecy. This is because it merges the capability of private and public key cryptography in its implementation as shown in table 1. Also, the study observed most distributed schemes reviewed did not present energy overheads of process execution despite their complex nature. On the whole, this work outlines a much wider view of key management systems in terms of key revocation functionality and open research issues for the secure and efficient key management system.
Total antioxidant status and adiponectin levels in gestational diabetes mellitus in Kaduna State, Nigeria
Antioxidants play a key role in treating and reducing the complication of diabetes mellitus. Adiponectin exerts insulin-sensitizing effects and possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties, which may play crucial roles in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pathophysiology. This study aim at evaluating total antioxidant status and adiponectin levels in gestational diabetes mellitus patients. The study evaluated a cross sectional design in which a total of 160 subjects between the ages of 18- 40 years were recruited for the study. Sixty (60) subjects were gestational diabetic women, 50 non-diabetic pregnant women as Control1 all attending Antenatal clinics at BarauDikko Teaching Hospital, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital and GwamnaAwan General Hospital, Kaduna State, Nigeria as well as 50 apparently healthy non-pregnant non diabetic staff as Control2. From the participants, 60 were gestational diabetic mellitus (GDM) (37.50%) with mean age 30.93 ± 0.55years, 50 non GDM pregnant women (31.25%) with mean age 27.68±0.50 years and 50 non GDM non pregnant (31.25%) with mean age 29.24±0.42 years. Adiponectin (APN) level was significantly lower compared with total antioxidant status (TAS) and vitamin C levels in pregnant women. The random blood glucose (RBG), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and 2 hours prospandial blood glucose (2HBG) concentrations in GDM patients and Controls 1 and 2 subjects were all significant different (p < 0.05). However, inter group comparism of C1vsC2 in RBG, FBG and 2HBG were all similar (p>0.05). The correlations between AGE vs BMI was significant (r= 0.276, p < 0.05), Age vs 2HBG (r = -0.256, p <0.05) FBG vsRBG (r = 0.369 p<0.05). FBG versus 2HBG (r = 0.646 p<0.05) and 2HBG vs RBG (r = 0.524, p<0.05) in GDM patients. The study indicated a relationship between total antioxidant capacity (TAS) and adiponectin in pregnant women with GDM compared pregnant women without GDM and control none pregnant women. Majority of the women take daily intake of vegetables, which could positively affect their antioxidant status. There was significantly lower APN compared with TAS, while a significant level of vitamin C compared with APN.
Copyright (c) 2023 Gadau Journal of Pure and Allied Sciences https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Alpha lipoic acid improved blood glucose level and lipid profile in type-2 diabetic Wistar rats
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders that is associated with many complications such as dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on blood glucose levels and lipid profile in type-2 diabetic male Wistar rats. Thirty (30) Wistar rats weighing between 200 – 250 grams were distributed into six groups of five each (n=5). Diabetes was induced using a high-fat diet for eight weeks with a single low dose of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) intraperitoneally at the end of the sixth week. Group I served as normoglycemic control and received 1 ml/kg normal saline; groups II, III, IV, V, and VI were diabetic and received 1 ml/kg normal saline; glibenclamide 1 mg/kg; ALA 100 mg/kg, ALA 200 mg/kg and ALA 400 mg/kg; respectively. All administrations were done orally for a duration of 21 days. Blood glucose level was determined using the glucose oxidase method. Serum was collected for lipid profile determination. The results obtained from this study showed that ALA across all doses (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the fasting blood glucose level (10.02 ± 0.71 mmol/L, 8.78 ± 0.94 mmol/L and 8.6 ± 0.68 mmol/L, respectively) when compared to the diabetic control group (20.06 ± 0.70 mmol/L). Lipid profiles were improved with HDL- and LDL- cholesterols increasing and decreasing significantly (42.60 ± 1.66 mg/dL and 1.12 ± 3.68 mg/dL) in the 400 mg/kg ALA group compared to the diabetic untreated group (37.00 ± 2.55 mg/dL and 26.31 ± 2.95 mg/dL, respectively). Therefore, the study demonstrated that ALA has both antihyperglycemic and antilipidemic in type-2 diabetic Wistar rats.
Anti-hyperglycaemic and selected organ protective effects of Ziziphus spina-christi hydroethanol leaf extract in alloxan induced diabetic rats
Ziziphus spina-christi has been traditionally used for the treatment of stomach pain, wounds, and hair loss, skin infections, diarrhoea, scorpion stings, and malaria. This study aims to investigate the anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-dyslipidaemic, liver and kidney protective effects of Ziziphus spina-christi ethanol leaf extract on diabetic rats. The experimental design comprises of five groups of albinos Wistar rats, with three rats per group. They are normal control group, normal and 150mg/kg bwt treatment with extract group, diabetic control group, diabetic and treatment with the 150mg/kg bwt extract group, and diabetic treated with Metformin as standard drug treated for 14 days. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the blood glucose level in the extract and reference drug administered groups as compared to the diabetic control. The levels of the serum alanine transaminase, serum aspartate transaminase and serum alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly (P<0.05) lower in the extract and standard drug treatment groups compared to the diabetic control group. In the diabetic control group, the creatinine and urea concentrations were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with the extract and metformin treated groups. Also, the high-density lipoprotein and triacylglycerol levels were lower in the extract treated groups demonstrating a good lipid profile. In conclusion, Ziziphus spina-christi exhibits anti-hyperglycaemia, anti-dyslipidaemia and liver and kidney protective activities in diabetic model, and thus supporting its traditional usage in diabetes management.
Automated conversion of numeral to words in Hausa language
Working with cardinal numbers is undoubtedly an integral part of our everyday life, which tells us about quantity. They are used for instance, in numeracy lessons, on receipts, slips, tellers in banks, to represent figures on documents, to tell time and are often represented inconsistently. However, the words form representations are often inconsistent with the standard Hausa. Standard Hausa as compared to other languages such as Arabic and British English, the Numeric System is characterized by a multitude of concatenations as well as dialect variations which causes misinterpretations and confusion. Also, initial findings show that no such automation published work has been done specifically in the numerical system of Standard Hausa language. In order to fill the gap, this study proposed an algorithm for converting numerals to words for the numeric system of Hausa language automatically in standard practice. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of iteration and mapping structures algorithm for converting numeral to cardinal form in standard Hausa language. The algorithm has been tested on approximately one hundred million sequences of numbers produced accurate results. The results showed that our method is successful in automating conversion of numerals to words with a high precision.
Preliminary response of some soya beans varieties (Glycin max) grown on underlying soil of Tamarindus indica
Soya beans is an important crop with lots of nutritional and economic benefits. This study aimed to find out the implication of growing the crop on an underlying soil of Tamarindus indica. A complete randomised block was employed on three varieties of soya beans (TGX-713-09D, TGX1835-10E, TGX1951-3F) with three replications. Days to germination and germination percentage were observed. The days to germination recorded for the three soya beans varieties did not differ significantly, even though TGX-713-09D variety with 6 days had the highest days to germination while both TGX1835-10E and TGX1951-3F recorded 5 days. The underlying soil of Tamarindus indica had a mean average of 6 days to germination compared to the control which recorded 4 days. The germination percentage for the three soya beans varieties also did not differ significantly. Where both TGX-713-09Dl and TGX1835-10E varieties recorded 89% compared to the 78% recorded by TGX1951-3F. When the treatments were compared, the control had the highest germination percentage (93%) while the underlying soil of Tamarindus indica had 78%. On the contrary, the underling soil of Tamarindus indica did better in terms of plant height, stem girth and number of branches with the values 15.61cm, 2.27cm and 5.33 respectively as against the control which recorded 15.56cm, 2.10cm and 5.11 respectively. Best soya beans variety in terms of plant height, stem girth and number of branches was TGX1835-10E with the values 15.83cm, 2.38cm and 5.50. This study here by recommends planting soya beans close tamarind trees and also recommend the variety TGX1835-10E to farmers.
Assessment of mosquito species composition and abundance in Misau metropolis, Misau Local Government Bauchi State, Nigeria
The distribution and abundance of mosquito species in Misau Metropolis were studied monthly between April and September, 2021. Mosquitoes were sampled monthly from five (5) clusters randomly distributed across the city using dippers. The mosquito habitats sampled include domestic containers, bowl, used vehicle tyres, gutters, containers, footprints and stagnant waters around the study area. The larvae collected were kept until adult emergence and identified microscopically using standard morphological keys. A total of 3730 mosquitoes species belonging to three genera were collected. Out of these, Culex quinquefasciatus were the predominant species with 58.81%. The month of August recorded the highest number of mosquitoes with the peak value of 877 mosquitoes. The composition of mosquito species in the study area indicated that Three (3) species occurred in all five clusters with the highest number of mosquitoes found in GRA. The presence of these mosquitoes in the study may cause mosquito borne diseases such as malaria and yellow fever in the area. Therefore, there is need for effective mosquito control and public enlightenment on the need to prevent mosquitoes from breeding because presence of these mosquito species in the study area may expose the community to mosquito borne diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
Antibacterial effects of the leaves and twigs of Turraea vogelii on some enteric pathogens
Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis as well as antibacterial analysis of extracts of Turraea vogelii (Hook F.) leaves and twigs on some enteric pathogens were reported in the current study. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts showed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, terpenoids, steroids and alkaloids. In addition, the quantitative phytochemical screening showed that the greatest percentage yield was from the methanol extract with alkaloids (8.8%) and terpenoids (8.7%) showing the highest concentrations. The antibacterial effects of hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Turraea vogelii at concentrations 80 mg/mL, 40 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL each were studied by the pour plate method. Clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Proteus mirabilis (five each) obtained from University College of Health (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria were employed as test organisms. Gentamicin was used as control at concentration of 10 µg/mL. Preliminary antimicrobial assay using only methanol showed antimicrobial activity in both leaves and twigs. Results showed that Escherichia coli was most susceptible to all extracts of the leaves while Proteus mirabilis was the least susceptible. For the twigs, Salmonella typhi was most susceptible to the hexane extract, E. coli was most susceptible to ethyl acetate extract and Proteus mirabilis was most susceptible to the methanol extract. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of leaves showed that its hexane extract is bacteriostatic at 40 mg/mL but at 20 mg/mL, it showed bacteriostatic activity against Proteus mirabilis. The methanol extract of the twigs had an MIC of 20 mg/mL for most of the isolates collected except the Salmonella typhi that had an MIC of 40 mg/mL. Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the ethyl acetate extract of leaves and methanol extract of twigs was 40 mg/mL. This study has demonstrated the antibacterial effect of leaves and twigs extracts of T. vogelii on some enteric pathogens.
Modelling Child Survival at Birth Data Using Logistic Regression Model: A Case Study of Yobe State Specialist Hospital Damaturu, Nigeria
This research examines factors influencing the survival of child at birth in Yobe State Specialist Hospital using a well-known logistics regression model. A total of 150 data points were collected through transcription from the maternity record of the Hospital to test significant factors that affect survival of child at birth. Analysis of logistic regression model was applied to the data using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM) package in R programming software. The results indicate that Type of delivery and weight at birth have the most significant influence on the probability of child survival at birth at 0.001 level of significance. Correlation analysis results show that all the five variables (age, parity, apgar, birth weight, and type of delivery) have a weak relationship, which implies that there is no multicollinearity in the data. Therefore, these results may help policy makers and health personnel to educate pregnant women on the effect of overweight baby at birth to reduce the incidence of deaths at birth. This study recommend that pregnant women should be educated about the effect of baby weight in a worm as that may increases the chance of caesarean section which in turn may affect the likelihood of child survival at birth. Further studies are suggested to consider factors like educational level, income of level of the family, antennal status, and blood pressure. A more advance community-based survey is recommended since not pregnant women attain formal health care facilities for antennal and postnatal services, which may expose more factors that influence child survival at birth.