Search

Expansive soils are inherently known for exhibiting significant volumetric change in response to slight variation in the moisture content. In this study, medical waste material in the form of bottom ash (BA) was investigated as a potential stabilizer for expansive soil. The unique characteristics of BA, such as its cost-effectiveness and availability as a residue, establish it as a potent stabilizer for expansive soils compared to other alternatives. The locally collected expansive soil from Muscat was identified to be of poorly clay type with high plasticity (CH) based on the USCS, and A-6 according to AASHTO classification. The BA was obtained from the medical waste treatment plant of the Be’ah Company in Oman. Samples were prepared by treating the expansive soil with BA in percentages of 6%, 8%, 10%, and 12% by mass. It was found that the pH level of the treated soil continued to reduce with increasing BA content, which was indicative of the reaction between the expansive soil and BA particles. The unconfined compression strength (UCS) test yielded a 57.63% increase over that of untreated expansive soil at 28 days of curing. Similarly, the California Bearing Ratios (CBR) of the treated soils were up to two times higher than the untreated soil, both in its unsoaked and soaked conditions. Based on the results of the UCS, CBR and linear shrinkage tests, the optimum quantity of BA required for treating the expansive soil was determined to 10%, beyond which no further enhancement in the UCS, CBR or shrinkage attributes of the soil was observed. Overall, the outcomes of this research highlight the potential of medical waste material, specifically bottom ash, as a sustainable stabilizer for expansive soil in construction applications.

INTRODUCTION: The most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) that causes COVID-19, subjected the entire world in turmoil health-wise and economically. With higher burden of malaria in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries coupled with fragile healthcare system and delivery, these may pose a threat in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria. Free radicals have been implicated in the progression and pathogenesis of malaria and COVID-19 through Fenton’s reaction and cytokine storm respectively. METHODS: the current research comprises of seventy-four (74) participants; 20 apparently healthy controls and 54 COVID-19 patients (20 among which were co-infected with malaria). Serum levels of 8-iso PGF2α and Alphatocopherol were determined among the study participants using ELISA technique and colorimetric assay, respectively. RESULTS: results revealed statistically significant elevation of 8-iso PGF2α in COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients only, and this may be due to increase production of free radicals. Furthermore, a significant decrease of Alphatocopherol was observed in COVID-19 co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients due to increase utilization of antioxidants in counterbalancing the negative effect of free radicals generated. CONCLUSION: conclusively, SARS-COV-2 patients co-infected with malaria might be predisposed to oxidative stress and low Alphatocopherol. The increase in oxidative stress is proportional to malaria parasite density and inversely related to Alphatocopherol levels. This implies that oxidative stress is notably higher and such patients may have a severer form of the COVID-19. Increased 8-iso-PGF2α in co-infection and decreased alphatocopherol levels can reflect the severity and adverse outcomes compared to COVID-19 naïve because of their tremendous involvement in the pathogenesis and progression of diseases.

Despite multiple commitments to and much guidance on the desirability of local actors leading coordination at the national level, the reality is that they continue to be excluded.

for 6 months, were older (P=0.00) multi-parous (P=0.05) and more educated (P=0.00) compared to those who did not practice EBF. Among them, significantly increased proportion of women agreed that EBF should be continued during the night (P=0.03), infant should be fed on demand (P=0.05), sick child could be given medication (P=0.02), EBF offered protection against childhood diarrhea (P=0.01), and helped mothers with birth spacing (P=0.00). CONCLUSION: This study shows that there is a need for reaching women with reliable information about infant nutrition in Sokoto State. The results show decreased EBF practice among working mothers, young women, mothers with poor education and fewer than five children. Counseling is a useful strategy for promoting the duration of EBF for six months and for developing support systems for nursing mothers. Working mothers may need additional resources in this setting to enable them to practice EBF.

Background: Melanoma known to be common among Caucasians is increasingly getting more common among blacks in the tropics., Objective: To characterize the clinical and histological features of these tumours in adult Nigerians., Methods: All cases of melanoma diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria were retrieved and their clinical and pathological features reviewed., Results: Eighty five cases comprising 41 males and 44 females were diagnosed with mean age of 56 ± 14.6 years. Mean duration before presentation was 2.3 ± 0.8 years. Eighty five percent of cases were located in the foot, 8% with lymph node involvement and seventy eight of the 85 cases were of Breslow thickness > 4 mm. Fifty five cases were of Clark level V and 78% of Nodular variant. Prognostic features including ulceration, lymphocytic infiltration, significant mitotic activity, satellitosis and lymphovascular infiltration were present in 69%, 38%, 16%, 45% and 17% of cases respectively. Only three cases were amelanotic., Conclusion: Melanoma in the Nigerians is predominantly of the nodular variant and located in the foot, is characterized by late presentation and is generally associated with adverse prognostic features.