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Adherence to psychiatric medications is a complex, dynamic behavior requiring patients to initiate treatment and continue to take their medications; at the correct time, in the correct dose, for prolonged periods of time. But, improving adherence in schizophrenia may have a considerable positive impact on patients and society in terms of quality of life. This can be achieved by focusing on the identified multitude of factors driving non-adherence. Aim: To evaluate the effect of psycho-education intervention on adherence to drug and quality of life among patients with schizophrenia in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Method: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with before and after design among caregivers and schizophrenic patients selected from some hospitals in Jigawa State. The study population comprised of all eligible schizophrenic patients and their caregivers within the study area. One hundred and thirty each for both the experimental and control group among the study participants were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data was entered, coded and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: There was an increase in the knowledge of schizophrenia and medication adherence, quality of life and level of medication adherence after the psycho-education intervention among the study participants. The predictors of medication adherence among the study participants in the experimental group include: type of treatment (ECT) (AOR=0.25, 95%CI= 0.18 – 0.75) was found to be negative predictor of medication adherence to treatment among study participants. While, cost of treatment of more than one thousand five hundred naira per day (AOR=3.00, 95%CI=2.83 – 12.24), occupational status of civil servants (AOR=2.00, 95%CI=1.11–14.33); housewives (AOR=4.03, 95%CI=2.14 – 12.33) and business (AOR=2.01, 95%CI=1.55 – 12.56), combination of drugs and ECT (AOR=4.03, 95%CI=2.75 – 17.53), presence of side effects (AOR=3.00, 95%CI=2.75-15.76) were positive predictors of good medication adherence among the study participants in the experimental group. While, the predictors of quality of life among the study participants in the experimental group include the following: cost of treatment of more than one thousand five hundred naira per day (AOR=4.03, 95%CI=3.56 – 12.45), contact with health care providers i.e Psychiatrist (AOR=4.11, 95%CI=2.33-16.76) and Psychiatrist Nurse (AOR=2.55, 95%CI=1.99-18.46) and presence of side effects (AOR=1.67, 95%CI=1.33-11.57) were positive predictors of good quality of life among the study participants in the experimental group. Conclusion: Following psycho-education as an intervention among the experimental group; there was an improvement in the knowledge on schizophrenia, medication adherence, quality of life and factors affecting quality of life six month after the intervention (psycho-education). It was recommended that Psycho-education should be included as part of management plan to all newly diagnosed schizophrenic patients and at least one of their care givers.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with African countries being the worst affected by this deadly virus. Curcumin (CUR) is a

Aim: This study investigated the knowledge of occupational hazard and safety practice, and also determines the relationship between knowledge of occupational hazard and safety practice among abattoir workers in Katagum LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Study Design: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used for the study. Methodology: A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 165 eligible respondents comprising all people working in the selected abattoirs in Katagum LGA. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the participants for the study. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the relationship between knowledge of occupational hazards and safety practice. Results: The results show that 55(36.2%) of the respondents were between the ages of 30-39, majority of the respondents 148(97.4%) were male. 146 (96.0%) of the abattoir workers revealed that there are hazards associated with their work. Cut/injuries were known by most of the respondents 128(84.2%). About one-fifth 18 (11.8%) of the respondents have poor knowledge, 75 (49.3%) have fair knowledge, while 59 (38.8%) have good knowledge of occupational hazards. About 35.5% of the respondents used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while performing their duty. The statistical computation for Pearson correlation coefficient (with r value of 0.138) shows that there is positive relationship between knowledge of occupational hazard and safety practice. Conclusion: In conclusion, majority of the respondents reported that there are hazards associated with their work, have good knowledge of occupational hazards, and high level of personal hygiene practice. But the use of PPE (especially apron, face mask, hand gloves and safety boots) was very low among the respondents. Thus, we recommended that the use of PPE and other preventive measures should be strongly encouraged as well as routine medical examination/checkup of abattoir workers in Katagum LGA of Bauchi State. Ante mortem and post mortem inspection on all animals should be carry-out before and after slaughter.

Tradescantia is a genus of herbaceous and perennial plants belonging to the Commelinaceae family and organized into three infrageneric classifications and 12 sections. More than 80 species within the genus have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Phytochemical compounds (from various species of the genus) such as coumarins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, steroids and terpenoids have recently been characterized and described with antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer or antimicrobial properties. The objective of this review is to describe the different aspects of the genus Tradescantia, including its botanical characteristics, traditional uses, phytochemical composition, biological activities, and safety aspects.

Nerol, a monoterpene is evident to possess diverse biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, anthelmintic, and anti-arrhythmias. This study aims to evaluate its hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in a rat model. Five groups of rats (n = 7) were orally treated (once daily) with 0.05% tween 80 dissolved in 0.9% NaCl solution (vehicle), paracetamol 640 mg/kg (negative control), 50 mg/kg silymarin (positive control), or nerol (50 and 100 mg/kg) for 14 days, followed by the hepatotoxicity induction using paracetamol (PCM). The blood samples and livers of the animals were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. The histological findings suggest that paracetamol caused lymphocyte infiltration and marked necrosis, whereas maintenance of the normal hepatic structural was observed in group pre-treated with silymarin and nerol. The rats pre-treated with nerol significantly and dose-dependently reduced the hepatotoxic markers in animals. Nerol at 100 mg/kg significantly reversed the paracetamol-induced altered situations, including the liver enzymes, plasma proteins, antioxidant enzymes and serum bilirubin, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and cholesterol [e.g., total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)] levels in animals. Taken together, nerol exerted significant hepatoprotective activity in rats in a dose-dependent manner. PCM-induced toxicity and nerol induced hepatoprotective effects based on expression of inflammatory and apoptosis factors will be future line of work for establishing the precise mechanism of action of nerol in Wistar albino rats.

The Glycyrrhiza genus, generally well-known as licorice, is broadly used for food and medicinal purposes around the globe. The genus encompasses a rich pool of bioactive molecules including triterpene saponins (e.g., glycyrrhizin) and flavonoids (e.g., liquiritigenin, liquiritin). This genus is being increasingly exploited for its biological effects such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities. The species Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and the compound glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid) have been studied immensely for their effect on humans. The efficacy of the compound has been reported to be significantly higher on viral hepatitis and immune deficiency syndrome. This review provides up-to-date data on the most widely investigated Glycyrrhiza species for food and medicinal purposes, with special emphasis on secondary metabolites’ composition and bioactive effects.

Guava is a vital fruit worldwide, especially in Pakistan, and due to its nutritional value famous in each age group. Due to a very short shelf life, the marketing and export of this fruit faced severe constraints. Therefore, in the current study, edible coating of chitosan (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) was evaluated on postharvest shelf life when guava fruits were stored (room temperature and 4 °C temperatures) for 12 days. The chitosan treated coating fruits have shown reduced total sugars and malondialdehyde levels compared to untreated control samples. However, a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in total sugar and malondialdehyde levels exists between samples stored in m compared to refrigerated temperature (4 °C). The chitosan-coated samples have shown a greater amount of vitamin C, quercetin, rutin, and total phenolic contents than control samples. However, these nutritional parameters' levels were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) in samples stored at room than samples stored at refrigerated temperature. However, the levels of crude fiber, potassium, and sodium were found statistically nonsignificant (p ≥0.05) in control versus chitosan treated coating treatments. The findings have documented that the coatings of 1.5 and 2.0% were most effective for extension in shelf life and maintaining the nutritional attributes of guava fruit.

Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer’s Genista tinctoria L. and is widely distributed in the Fabaceae family. As an isoflavone, mammalian genistein exerts estrogen-like functions. Several biological effects of genistein have been reported in preclinical studies, such as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, the effects of angiogenesis and estrogen, and the pharmacological activities on diabetes and lipid metabolism. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date evidence of preclinical pharmacological activities with mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and clinical evidence of genistein. The literature was researched using the most important keyword “genistein” from the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases, and the taxonomy was validated using The Plant List. Data were also collected from specialized books and other online resources. The main positive effects of genistein refer to the protection against cardiovascular diseases and to the decrease of the incidence of some types of cancer, especially breast cancer. Although the mechanism of protection against cancer involves several aspects of genistein metabolism, the researchers attribute this effect to the similarity between the structure of soy genistein and that of estrogen. This structural similarity allows genistein to displace estrogen from cellular receptors, thus blocking their hormonal activity. The pharmacological activities resulting from the experimental studies of this review support the traditional uses of genistein, but in the future, further investigations are needed on the efficacy, safety, and use of nanotechnologies to increase bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.

Momordica species (Family Cucurbitaceae) are cultivated throughout the world for their edible fruits, leaves, shoots and seeds. Among the species of the genus Momordica, there are three selected species that are used as vegetable, and for medicinal purposes, Momordica charantia L (Bitter melon), Momordica foetida Schumach (Bitter cucumber) and Momordica balsamina L (African pumpkin). The fruits and leaves of these Momordica species are rich in primary and secondary metabolites such as proteins, fibers, minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc), β-carotene, foliate, ascorbic acid, among others. The extracts from Momordica species are used for the treatment of a variety of diseases and ailments in traditional medicine. Momordica species extracts are reputed to possess anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anthelmintic bioactivity, abortifacient, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and play chemo-preventive functions. In this review we summarize the biochemical, nutritional, and medicinal values of three Momordica species (M. charantia, M. foetida and M. balsamina) as promising and innovative sources of natural bioactive compounds for future pharmaceutical usage.

Migration and mobility have contributed significantly in the spread of Human- Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) globally: more especially among transport corridors. Identifying risk factors of HIV among long distance drivers (LDDs) could provide strategies for more effective preventive intervention. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study design that used multistage sampling technique to select four hundred and thirty-four study participants. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information and blood for HIV testing. The mean and standard deviation of age of the respondents were 42.3±11.2 years. The sero-prevalence of HIV was 12.5% (95%CI: 8.8-16.3%). On adjusting for confounding effect using logistic regression analysis, the risk factors for HIV were marital status of single [AOR=4.25; (95%CI: 1.97- 9.31)] and separated [AOR=6.07; (95%CI: 5.26-16.45)], monthly income [>100,000.00 AOR=6.11; (95%CI: 1.53-41.97)] and history of extramarital sex [AOR=4.01; (95% CI: 6.07- 10.43)]. Establishment of clinic for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases in a strategic location, scaling up of condom distribution, and effective behavioural change communication were recommended in order to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection.

Communicable diseases continue to be major causes of, morbidity, mortality and rising health-care costs especially in developing countries. Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy was endorsed by Nigeria in 1998, as a means of strengthening communicable disease surveillance and response in order to make it more sensitive at all levels of government. A quasi-experimental study design was used to assess the effect of training and supportive supervision on knowledge and practice of IDSR among Primary Health Care (PHC) workers. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analyzed with the aid of Epi info version 3.5.3. Statistical significance was set at P

Chronic diarrhea remains one of the commonest manifestation of HIV and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality despites gains in greater access to antiretroviral drugs and treatments of opportunistic infections globally. Yet, there is lack of precise evidence about the place of antimicrobials in chronic HIV associated diarrhea among adults. Physicians have continued to prescribe antimicrobials empirically or otherwise for chronic HIV associated diarrhea among adults. The aim of this study is to assess Physicians’ intension to prescribe antimicrobials in chronic HIV associated diarrhea among adults in Nigeria using the constructs of theory of planned behavior: Attitudes, Subjective Norms and Perceived behavioral control. An exploratory cross sectional survey was carried out. A structured questionnaire was developed following a pilot study to elicit salient beliefs among Physicians and a review of the literature. The study was carried out in 3 Northern Nigerian states among Physicians in Primary/Secondary and Tertiary hospitals in 2014. Data was analyzed using SPSS and STATA. After descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the key constructs of TPB and Physician’s intension to prescribe antimicrobials in chronic HIV associated diarrhea among adults. We found strong intention to prescribe antimicrobials among Physicians respondents. The constructs of the theory of planned behavior explained 40% of variance of the Physicians’ intention to prescribe antimicrobials for chronic AIDS associated diarrhea in adults. Perceived control behavior and knowledge were the most important components of the model associated with intention. This study has further added new knowledge to the pool of evidence that Perceived Control Beliefs and Knowledge significantly influence Physicians’ intention to prescribe antimicrobials in chronic AIDS associated diarrhea. This finding reinforces the utility of theory of planned behavior as a tool to study health care service provision and utilization. There is need for future studies to test if changes in perceived control behavior and knowledge will leads to changes in intention to prescribe antimicrobials for chronic AIDS associated diarrhea and ultimately leading to a change in the clinical practice of managing chronic AIDS associated diarrhea in adults.

Tributyltin (TBT) is one of the most toxic substances ever deliberately introduced into the marine environment. The high toxicity of TBT has resulted in a wide range of adverse effects on biological systems ranging from bacteria to mammals and from the molecular to the community level. One of the most deleterious effects of TBT is imposex. The growth kinetics of TBT-Resistant Bacterium containing lead was studied. In this study various lead concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 mg/dm3 were used. Seven kinetic models (Teissier, Monod, Yano, Luong, Aiba, Webb, and Haldane,) were investigated and the accuracy of the fitted models were evaluated using statistical analysis such as coefficient of determination, adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square (RMSE). Aiba model was fitted to the experimental growth kinetics data and gave a very good fit with an R2 of 0.98 and RMSE of 0.0042 respectively. The calculated value for the Aiba constants such as maximal growth rate, half saturation constant and half inhibition constant rate symbolized by μmax, ks, and ki, were 0.038 hr-1, 0.38s mg/dm3 and 34.38 mg/dm3respectively. This is the first report of growth kinetics of TBT-Resistant bacterium by Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2 Containing lead.Keywords: Growth Kinetic models, Klebsiella sp. FIRD 2, lead, TBT-resistant bacteria.

Bu çalışmada deneysel incelemeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma, kalıcı mıknatıslanma için manyetik malzemelerin üretim tekniklerinin yanı sıra görüntü işleme tekniklerini de içerir. Bu deneysel çalışmada kullanılan örnekler, el yapımı NdFeB target kullanılarak RF püskürtme yöntemiyle hazırlandı ve başka bir Mg target yardımı ile oda sıcaklığında silikon altlık üzerinde oksijenin tutulması sağlandı. Film yüzeyini örnek almak amacıyla CuTEM 1500 kare şeklindeki bir gölge maske kullanılmıştır. Daha sonra filmler oksijen ve oksidasyona karşı bir nanometre kalınlığında Tantalum tabakası tarafından kapatılmıştır. Film kaplama işlemi sürerken sıvı azot kullanılarak sistemin içerisindeki empüriteler soğuk hazne bölümünde toplanarak engellenmiş ve püskürtme işlemi sırasında düzenli aralıklarla sıvı azot ilavesine devam edilmiştir. Bu filmler 30 dakika süre ile termal olarak 550 ℃ de tavlanmıştır. Tavlanmış ve tavlanmamış Nd_2 Fe_14 B filmlerin X-Işını kırınım grafikleri elde edilmiştir. Oda sıcaklığının değişken değerlerinde Hall Probe tarama mikroskobisi yardımıyla yüzey görüntüleri alınmıştır. Bu çalışmada aynı zamanda yüzey topografisi ve manyetik alan dağılım haritası da elde edilmiştir. SHPM görünüleme sonuçları bize film yüzeyinin ne kadar pürüzsüz ve kullanışlı olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç olarak elde edilen filmin, süperiletken ve ferromanyetik hibrid sistemler için kullanılabilir olduğu anlaşılmıştır. A review and experimental investigation were realized in this study. The review includes permanent magnets, the fabrication as well as the image processing techniques.In this experimental study, samples were prepared by RF sputtering from the home-made NdFeB target and a target of Mg was used to remove oxygen from silicon substrate at room temperature condition. CuTEM with 1500 square mesh was used as a shadow mask to pattern the film surface. Films were capped with few thick nanometer tantalum layers against diffusion and oxidation. The liquid nitrogen cold finger was added periodically during the sputtering process to ensure trapping of the impurities in the system. The films were thermally annealed at 550 ℃ for 30 minutes. X-ray diffraction pattern was performed for both non-annealed and annealed temperature as grown sample and formation of Nd_2 Fe_14 B phase was realized during an x-ray diffraction investigation with good lattice orientation.We have imaged the sample surface with the aid of the low temperature SHPM system to be used for determining the scanning image of the sample surface at various temperatures.This allows the experimental investigation to acquire a topographical image along with the field distribution which was achieved.The image results then show that the scanning images with SHPM give a better smooth image and are well complimented.The film which was studied can be used for applications in superconductor and ferromagnetic hybrid structures. 66