University of Maiduguri

In this study, the pain-relieving and calming effects of giving romifidine and xylazine through an epidural in camels were compared. Twenty-one adult camels (9 non-pregnant females and 12 intact males) weighing between 400–450 kg were randomly divided into three equal groups. Each group received one of the following treatments: an equal volume of sterile saline, 0.17 mg/kg of xylazine, or 50 g/kg of romifidine. All of the treatments were put directly into the sacrococcygeal space after being diluted in 0.9% sterile saline solution until the final volume was 20 ml. Before treatment and then at 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min after administration, the perineal analgesia, sedation, and degree of ataxia were evaluated. At these same times, rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR), and respiration rate (RR) were simultaneously measured. Epidural administration of romifidine and xylazine resulted in varying degrees of sedation, ranging from mild to deep, alongside complete antinociception affecting the perineum, inguinal area, and flank. This effect extended distally to the coronary band of the hind limbs and cranially to the thoracic region. After romifidine, analgesia started more quickly than with xylazine (6 ± 1.05 vs. 14.17 ± 0.83). The duration of both antinociceptive for romifidine was substantially longer than that of xylazine (159 ± 6.38 vs. 63.33 ± 2.47). The onset time of sedation was substantially shorter after romifidine (6.8 ± 0.83 min) compared to xylazine (10.8 ± 0.83 min). Romifidine's sedative effect lasted longer than xylazine's (149.17 ± 4.16 vs. 108.33 ± 1.05 min). At every study measurement point, the romifidine and xylazine-treated groups showed negligible RT, HR, and RR changes. Conclusion: Romifidine or xylazine may be a reliable, durable, and economical method for epidural anesthesia in camels undergoing standing surgery, as romifidine has a faster onset and longer antinociceptive effect. Therefore, epidural romifidine could be a more effective treatment option for immediate postoperative pain.

Background Clinical and health systems research are essential for advancing global healthcare. Engaging and training medical students in research will foster lifelong evidence-based practice, particularly for the emerging healthcare workforce. This study investigates the involvement of Nigerian medical students in research, identifying key opportunities and barriers to enhance their engagement. Methods This cross-sectional, descriptive study used an online survey targeting recent graduates from 42 accredited Nigerian medical schools. A purposive sampling approach selected one federal, state, and private institution from each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Data were collected between February and June 2024 using a face-validated online questionnaire, which gathered quantitative data and free-text recommendations. The survey was distributed through WhatsApp groups. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed to explore trends in the data. Ethical approval was obtained from the Jos University Teaching Hospital ethics review board (JUTH/DCS/IREC/127/XXXI/871). Informed consent was secured from each participant prior to participation. Results Of the 429 respondents (270 men, 159 women) from 15 universities across all six zones, 92% participated in research during medical school. Men engaged in more research projects than women (p = 0.03). Most respondents participated in two projects, usually group-based, with limited individual projects. Few had presented (20%) or published (17%) their research. Proficiency was highest in developing appropriate research methodologies (54%), while data analysis was the most challenging aspect of research (42%). Participation in research was supported by adequate mentorship for most participants (64%), whereas time constraints(74%), lack of research funding (55%), and inadequate research training (31%) were the main barriers to involvement. Regional differences were noted, with the highest participation by students in the South-South geo-political zone (98%) and the lowest in the South-West (85%). Learners from the South-West had more opportunities to present research at conferences, while those from the South-East had the fewest. Participants advocated for integrating more research opportunities into the medical curriculum, emphasising early skill development, expanding mentorship and networking opportunities, and offering grants to support students in conducting innovative research. Conclusion There is a pressing need to enhance structured research opportunities in Nigerian medical education, especially for female medical students. This includes expanding access to training in data analysis, increasing publication and presentation opportunities, and integrating research skills early in the curriculum while addressing barriers like time constraints. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

This study examined the viability of column method utilizing the immobilized zinc oxide-loaded activated carbon obtained from corncob (ZnO@CB) to treat the landfill leachate. Instrumental techniques like BET, FTIR, SEM–EDX, and XRD were applied for the characterization of the adsorbents. The break through curve (BTC) was evaluated by altering the flow rate, bed height, and initial concentration of NH3-N and COD. At 35 cm bed height with an initial level of 3264 mg-COD/L, the optimal adsorption capacity was observed to be 35.44 mg-COD/g. Meanwhile, the optimal NH3-N adsorption capacity was 4.81 mg-NH3-N/g at a flow @ 1 mL/min, with an initial concentration of 460 mg-NH3-N/L, and a bed height of 35 cm. Both NH3-N and COD adsorption exhibited a correlation coefficient higher than 0.98 as calculated by linear plots of bed depth service time (BDST) equations, indicating that the column structure model was appropriate. The results reveal that the performance of the adsorption process could be well predicted by artificial neural network (ANN) at 4, 7, and 1 neuron for input, middle, and output layers, with a mean absolute error of 0.0096 and 0.0093 for COD and NH3-N reduction, respectively. In the RF model, higher values of R² (0.9876 for COD and 0.9874 for NH3-N) indicate the model accuracy. The regenerated adsorbent achieved 54.2% and 54.1% removal of COD and NH3-N and adsorbent usage was feasible for up to three cycles. Results of BDST, ANN, and RF models revealed that packed column with immobilized ZnO@CB adsorbent is an efficient method for treating landfill leachate, highlighting the potential of ZnO@CB for industrial applications. Graphical Abstract

Introduction Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating injury often associated with immobility, leading to numerous complications, with cardiovascular disorders being among the major causes of mortality. Upper-limb aerobic exercise (ULAE) may help to retrain and regain some of the abilities lost through SCI and minimize secondary complications. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of ULAE plus general exercise compared to the same general exercise on cardiovascular parameters, functional independence, and quality of life among patients with SCI in northern Nigeria. Method This is a multicenter, assessor-blind, parallel group, randomized controlled superiority trial to be conducted among SCI patients attending three tertiary hospitals in Kano State, northern Nigeria. Participants fulfilling the study criteria will be randomized into either ULAE (arm ergometer and overhead pulley exercises) plus general exercise group or general exercise only group. Both groups will receive their respective interventions three times per week for 8 weeks. The primary outcomes will be rate pressure product (calculated as systolic blood pressure x heart rate) and functional independence. The secondary outcomes will be blood pressure and quality of life. All outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 8 weeks post-intervention, and at 14weeks follow-up. Discussion This study will be the first to determine the effects of ULAE plus general exercise versus general exercise alone among patients with SCI in northern Nigeria. The outcome of this study could provide valuable guidance for rehabilitation professionals in selecting a low-cost and effective intervention for patients with SCI, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Trial registration Pan African Clinical Registry (PACTR202306580460880). Registered on June 12, 2023.

Background The emigration of healthcare professionals significantly contributes to brain drain within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, exacerbating existing workforce shortages. This study investigates the emigration intentions of Nigerian medical and nursing students, focusing on preferred destinations, key motivating factors, and the potential long-term consequences for the nation’s healthcare system. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical and nursing students from six universities, purposefully selected to represent Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. A total of 2,152 students (Medicine and Surgery = 1254; Nursing = 898) participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire and analysed with IBM SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were applied, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results 72.9% of students expressed intentions to practice abroad, primarily seeking specialist training within the first five years post-graduation (97.7%). Alarmingly, 32.7% had no intention of ever returning to Nigeria, while only 11.7% of those intending to stay intend to leave after completing specialist training. The top three emigration destinations were the United States (28.5%), the United Kingdom (24.6%), and Canada (23.1%). The main drivers of emigration included better training opportunities (75.2%), access to advanced equipment (61.1%), and improved career prospects (56.7%). Respondents predicted negative impacts on Nigeria’s healthcare system, including increased mortality rates and potential system collapse. Conclusion The findings reveal a high propensity for emigration among Nigerian medical and nursing students, with significant implications for the country’s healthcare system. The study underscores the urgent need for policy interventions that address systemic challenges such as inadequate resources, poor working conditions, remuneration and career development opportunities. Strengthening local training conditions and offering competitive incentives may help mitigate the brain drain and ensure a sustainable healthcare workforce in Nigeria.

The internet and communication industries have grown at a very quick pace, which has caused a massive increase in the volume of data and network size. This surge has given rise to a multitude of new attacks, posing substantial challenges for network security in effectively identifying breaches. To counteract these threats, intrusion detection systems (IDS) have been created, utilizing technology to scrutinize, monitor, and analyze network traffic and ensure the conservation of availability, confidentiality, and integrity. In networks with imbalanced traffic, malicious cyber‐attacks can easily go unnoticed within large volumes of regular data. This proficiency in concealing their presence poses a formidable obstacle for Network IDS in accurately and promptly detecting such threats. Despite extensive research efforts, conventional IDS proposed models are faced with persistent issues of enhancing detection accuracy and lowering false alarm rates, identifying emerging rare and zero‐day intrusion types. Previous research has also emphasized the problem of uneven distribution in network traffic, potentially leading to the misclassification of attacks. As a solution to these problems, this study proposed a multi‐model architecture that leverages attention mechanism‐based long short‐term memory (AM‐LSTM) and class‐wise focal loss‐based variational autoencoder (CWFL‐VAE), which both aimed to detect various forms of attacks, including rare or zero‐day attacks, while reducing false alarm rates and computational complexity. CWFL‐VAE was employed to handle imbalanced network traffic, focusing on minority classes to address the issue of misclassification; AM‐LSTM was used for classification, while the Adam gradient descent technique was employed to optimize the model. The proposed system performance was assessed using two datasets: NSL‐KDD, a benchmark dataset with skewed network traffic distribution, and CSE‐CIC‐IDS2018, featuring network traffic that is approximately 83% benign cases. CSE‐CIC‐IDS2018 was employed in assessing the performance of the model due to its recent release and incorporation of contemporary attack types, while the NSL‐KDD data functioned as a trustworthy benchmark, testing the model's implementation against findings in the literature. The research showed good performance with a low false positive rate of 0.12%, 99.37% accuracy, and 99.23% detection rate for the NSL‐KDD data. Similarly, the technique's detection rate, accuracy, and false positive rate for the CSE‐CIC‐IDS2018 data were 94.2%, 0.22%, and 92.39%, respectively. According to these findings, the recommended model was found to be competitive in terms of precision, rate of detection, and incidence of false positives when evaluated with existing methods.

Peramivir, a potent infuenza neuraminidase inhibitor, serves as a basis for designing similar inhibitors targeting viral, mammalian, or bacterial neuraminidases. This study employs molecular modeling, including docking, ADMET analysis, and topological approaches (ELF, RDG, AIM), to investigate the structural features essential for infuenza A virus inhibition, focusing on hydrogen bonding interactions. Compounds 7 and 8 were evaluated for their potential to target oseltami- vir-resistant infuenza A virus binding sites. Binding afnity was assessed using AutoDock Vina, and 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confrmed their stability. Free binding energy calculations showed that these compounds exhibit higher stability than the standard drug. The fndings provide insights into the structure–activity relationship of substituted peramivir phosphonates, supporting their potential as lead compounds for early-stage drug development against infuenza A infections.

Background and purpose Cardiotoxicity is a concern, especially in left breast cancer (BC) radiotherapy (RT), and accurate dosimetry is essential for minimizing cardiac exposure. This study evaluated the radiation exposure of cardiac substructures in node-positive and node-negative BC patients who underwent three-dimensional conformal therapy (3D-CRT) and compared the predictive accuracy of mean heart dose (MHD) and mean left ventricular dose (MLVD) in estimating dose distribution to cardiac substructures. Materials and methods This study included 55 patients with left-sided breast cancer, comprising 39 with node-positive and 16 with node-negative disease. All underwent adjuvant whole-breast irradiation using 3D-CRT. The heart, ventricles, atria, right coronary (RC), left anterior descending coronary (LADCA), and left circumflex (LCx) arteries were contoured. Dosimetric distributions were evaluated, and Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between cardiac substructures. Results The distribution of doses to cardiac substructures was heterogeneous, with LADCA receiving the highest doses: 15.6 Gy in node-positive and 13.2 Gy in node-negative breast cancer patients. Linear regression analysis revealed a weak to moderate predictive ability of MHD/MLVD to predict doses received by the cardiac substructure in both groups, with MLVD demonstrating marginally better results. For node-positive patients, the analysis revealed an R² of 0.40 (p < 0.001) for the association between MHD and LADCA and an R² of 0.45 (p < 0.001) for MLVD and LADCA. In node-negative patients, the R² values were 0.27 (p < 0.001) for MHD versus LADCA and 0.30 (p < 0.03) for MLVD versus LADCA. Pearson’s correlation analysis for node-positive patients indicated r = 0.63 (p < 0.001) for MHD versus LADCA and r = 0.67 (p < 0.001) for MLVD versus LADCA. For node-negative patients, the correlation coefficients were r = 0.52 (p < 0.001) for MHD versus LADCA and r = 0.54 (p < 0.001) for MLVD versus LADCA. Conclusion Radiation exposure to cardiac substructures during 3D-CRT for left breast cancer was heterogeneous, with the LADCA receiving the highest mean dose, followed by the LV. MLVD demonstrated superior predictive accuracy over mean heart dose (MHD) for estimating doses to critical substructures, particularly in node-positive patients.

Background The multifaceted impact of economic hardship, insecurity, and flooding on access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Maiduguri, Nigeria is highlighted by this article. While ART has transformed HIV from a fatal condition to a manageable chronic illness, achieving consistent access in regions facing socioeconomic and environmental challenges such as Maiduguri remains a critical issue. Factors such as inflation, poverty, and high transportation costs hinder PLHIV’s ability to obtain treatment and related medical services. Although antiretroviral drugs are subsidised in Nigeria, associated costs, including transport-fare and laboratory fees, place a significant burden on patients. This financial strain disrupts adherence to treatment, risking clinical failures and drug resistance. Insecurity due to the Boko Haram insurgency exacerbates these challenges. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using keywords such as ART, economic hardship, Maiduguri, flooding, and insecurity to identify relevant articles from Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Boolean operators "AND" and "OR" were applied to construct precise search strings, ensuring broad yet targeted retrieval of relevant studies. A total of 27 articles were included based on their relevance, methodological quality, and contribution to the study's aim. Eligible publications encompassed original research, systematic and narrative reviews, meta-analyses, perspectives, and grey literature, with priority given to studies published in English within the last ten years. A snowballing bibliometric approach was also employed to identify additional relevant literature. Full-text articles were critically analyzed and narratively synthesized under appropriate subheadings. Conclusion There is an urgent need for comprehensive strategies that address these interlinked issues. Bolstering healthcare infrastructure, developing climate-resilient HIV prevention strategies, and enhancing policy frameworks for emergency health response, strengthening government coordination and securing both local and international support are vital for sustaining ART access. These could assist to improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations such as PLHIV in conflict and disaster-affected areas like Maiduguri.

Objectives To determine seroprevalence, seroconversion, and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rates for dual and triplex infections of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among pregnant women. Methods A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in six randomly selected tertiary hospitals from six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Consenting participants were tested at recruitment for triplex infections and followed-up till delivery. Retests were performed at delivery for those who tested negative for all three infections/positive for only one. Polymerase chain reaction was used for validation while rapid test kits were employed for initial screening. Results Of the 2775 participants recruited, 13 (0.47%; 95% CI: 0.25%–0.80%) and 4 (0.14%; 95% CI: 0.04%–0.37%) were seropositive for dual and triplex infections, respectively. Dual infections revealed seroprevalences of 0.22% for HIV-HBV (6/2775; 95% CI: 0.08%–0.47%), 0.14% for HIV-HCV (4/2775; 95% CI: 0.04%–0.37%), and 0.11% for HBV-HCV (3/2775; 95% CI: 0.02%–0.32%). Multivariable analysis highlighted significant associations between HIV/HBV co-infection and religion (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.068, 95% CI: 0.006–0.757) and house ownership (aOR): 1.65 × 10 –9 , 95% CI: 1.60 × 10 –9 –1.70 × 10 ⁻⁹ ). Continuing our follow-up until delivery for 2403 initial participants, 2386 did not have dual or triplex infections at the start. Upon retesting at delivery, three of these women were seropositive for a dual infection of HIV and HBV, giving a seroconversion rate of 0.12% (95% CI: 0.03% to 0.37%). MTCT rate stood at 0% at 6-week post-delivery. Conclusion We observed a relatively low seroprevalence and seroconversion rates for dual and triplex infections of HIV, HBV, and HCV among pregnant women in Nigeria and no MTCT.

The Nampala gold deposit is a sub-world-class occurrence in Mali's Birimian Terrain. Although numerous detailed investigations have been conducted on Mali's gold deposits, the debate on the origin of the mineralizing fluid remains unresolved. To address that knowledge gap this study presents oxygen, and hydrogen isotope data for auriferous quartz veins, along with Raman spectroscopy analysis of graphitic schist, to investigate the genesis and evolution of the mineralizing fluid of the Nampala gold deposit and the associated metamorphic grade. The isotopic signatures of quartz veins and their fluid inclusions reveal δD values ranging from −48 to 0.3‰ (mean −25.98‰, n = 15) and δ ¹⁸ O values from 15.23 to 16.57‰ (mean 16.14‰, n = 15). The narrow δ ¹⁸ O range of auriferous quartz veins indicates a common hydrothermal fluid source, while the high δD values suggest meteoric water influence. The Nampala gold deposit likely formed from metamorphic fluids derived from nearby metasedimentary rocks during regional metamorphism, with Au deposition driven by fluid pressure drops and interaction between meteoric and metamorphic fluids with wall rocks. Metamorphism studies indicate greenschist facies, with temperatures ranging from 358 °C to 486 °C (avg. 416 °C ± 50 °C). The gold-enriched fluid at Nampala precipitated gold through metasomatism, driven by interaction with surrounding rocks and decreases in temperature and pressure.

Cucumis metuliferus E. Mey. Ex. Naudin have been shown to alter haematological and serum biochemical values of cockerels and rats. These alterations may possess hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and/or cause toxicity to the various organs in the animal models that could lead to unwanted side effects. However, there is paucity of information on its toxicological profile in mice. Therefore, this study investigates the in-vivo toxicological effects of the ripe fruits of Cucumis metuliferus in Swiss albino mice. The dried ground powder of Cucumis metuliferus (CM) was extracted with distilled water to obtain the crude aqueous extract (AE), which was used to investigate the body weight change, acute toxicity (24 h), and sub-acute toxicity (28 days) studies in Swiss albino mice. Mice were orally dosed with AE at 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg. Blood and serum were collected on day 0 (before extract treatment) and after treatment on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for determination of haematological parameters and serum biochemical respectively. The mice were humanely sacrifice on day 28 after blood collection, and liver, kidneys, and intestines were harvested for histopathology. The extract showed no significant (p ≥ 0.05) change in body weights of control and treated mice when compared to their day 0. But, it significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased red blood cell, packed cell volume, neutrophils, mean corpuscular volume, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, globulin, serum sodium and chloride, while it significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased total white blood cells, lymphocytes, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, total protein, albumin, direct bilirubin, urea, and creatinine. Treated mice showed no sign of acute toxicity or mortality within 24 h. But, prolonged administration (sub-acute study) showed congestion in the liver at all tested doses, while necrosis of hepatocytes was only seen at 400 mg/kg. The result obtained from this study revealed the probable safety of the fruit of Cucumis metuliferus within 24 h. However, prolonged administration of the extracts may cause injury to the liver or kidney. Thus, administration of unrefined extracts may require caution.

Arsenic is an internationally recognized groundwater pollutant. Arsenic exposure causes a number of negative consequences on the human body, including the upsurge of oxidant. Nutrition is a significant susceptibility factor for arsenic toxicity through various conceivable pathways. The rise of high-fat diets in numerous countries leads to an increase in chronic, noncommunicable diseases. This research examined how Nauclea latifolia could reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and distortion to the liver and kidneys in Wistar rats exposed to high-fat diets and arsenic. Five groups of five rats each were treated daily for 6 weeks. Rats fed only with high-fat diet with arsenic exhibited considerable elevations in proinflammatory markers, urea, creatinine, and liver enzymes, alongside significant decreases in SOD, CAT, and GSH levels. Treatment with silymarin and N. latifolia root extract prevented oxidative stress and elevated liver enzyme activity and kidney function biomarkers. The rats subjected to a high-fat diet and arsenic suffered significant damage to the histology of the liver and kidney. However, treatment with extracts and silymarin protected the kidney and the liver damage. N. latifolia roots may attenuate the toxic consequences of diets high in fat and arsenic on the renal system and the liver by lowering reactive oxygen molecules and improving renal and liver function. Thus, N. latifolia roots could serve as a natural agent to prevent hepatorenal toxicity.

Background Traditionally, arch bars are used for mandibulomaxillary fixation (MMF) following mandibular fractures. Intermaxillary fixation screws (IMFS) are a suitable alternative to mitigate the drawbacks of arch bar fixation. Aims and Objectives We compared the use of arch bars versus IMFS for treatment of mandibular fractures including evaluation of sonographic findings and the patients’ quality of Life (QoL). Study Design This is a randomised prospective study. Setting The study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods Fifty patients with mandibular fractures were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, 25 each in the arch bars and IMFS treatment groups. The parameters evaluated were as follows: mouth opening, malocclusion, pain, fracture healing using an ultrasound scanner, operating time, wire-prick injuries, oral hygiene, and QoL. Results There was a significantly higher pain score by the 3 rd and 6 th postoperative weeks ( P = 0.015 and P = 0.003, respectively) and shorter operating time ( P < 0.001) in the IMFS group, while a notable higher wire-prick injury ( P < 0.001) and poor oral hygiene ( P = 0.25) were observed in the arch bar group. An ultrasound scan at 6 postoperative weeks showed complete hyperechoic bridging callus in (61.5%) the arch bar group and (50%) in the IMF screw group, with no statistically significant difference. Regarding the QoL, patients treated with arch bars had more difficulty in continuing with their normal diet and indicated “they will not undergo the same treatment again.” On the other hand, IMFS patients had significantly isolated themselves because of feelings of bad mood, and their sleep and speech patterns were significantly affected. Conclusions Although some similarities were observed in both groups, this study observed that IMFS addressed some of the limitations associated with arch bars such as prolonged operative time, wire-prick injury, and poor oral hygiene. Therefore IMFS is relatively safer and can be used for long-time MMF. Trial registration number PACTR202408851121914. Date of registration 04 July 2024, “retrospectively registered.” Clinical trial registry Pan African clinical trials registry.

The escalation of illegal sand mining in Nigeria has resulted in pronounced river degradation, prompting heightened apprehension regarding river rights and sustainability. Despite this, there has been limited research into recognizing rivers as legitimate entities with legal rights in the Nigerian context. To address this gap, this chapter investigated the effects of sand mining activities in the Ethiope River, Delta State, Nigeria from 1991 to 2020. We utilized qualitative methods, GIS/remote sensing techniques, and enlisted 20 participants aged 18–50 and above to collect primary data, including images and narratives. Additionally, we adopted oral histories from five key informants and secondary data to provide comprehensive insights. Findings revealed that illegal sand mining has led to water pollution (35%), erosion (30%), loss of riverbank vegetation (20%), and a decline in fish population (15%), significantly impacting various communal activities such as access to clean water, domestic, and recreational pursuits. Favorably, sand mining has created income and employment opportunities for 40% of youths, earning 6.28 USD daily, with 50% dedicating 1–12 h daily. Regrettably, an alarming 7.31% of the Ethiope River has been depleted for 29 years due to unregulated mining. To address these challenges and ensure the sustainability of Ethiope River, it is imperative to prioritize policies regulating sand mining practices. This includes optimal innovation, awareness, and action thereby, promoting the adoption of alternative materials, and expediting legal recognition of the Ethiope River as a living entity, setting a precedent for other water bodies in Africa.

The tree species of Adansonia digitata possesses wide range of medicinal properties effective against various infectious diseases. The present work has aim to study the antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening of leaf extracts of A. digitata against pathogenic spp. Antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of leaf extracts of A. digitata has been studied to find out their activity against pathogenic bacteria viz., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyeogene and Salmonella. The activity of this extracts leaf part against both gram positive as well as gram negative pathogenic bacterial strains was screened through well diffusion technique by using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. According to the findings, the leaf extracts of A. digitata exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureaus and phytochemical test constituents on carbohydrate, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannis, glycoside, cardiacglycoside, saponinglycosides and alkanoid. Thus, results provided evidence that the species A. digitata can be used as a potential source of antimicrobial agent in the treatment of various infectious diseases.

Oxidative stress is characterized by elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. At physiological levels, ROS work as signaling molecules, helping cells go through the cell cycle normally and keeping their balance. They also balance several physiological processes. However, a shift in the delicate balance between antioxidants and ROS results in aberrant cell death and deleterious effects. Elevated ROS is implicated in many diseases and disorders like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, infertility, and cardiovascular disorders. The imbalance disrupts normal cellular functions, including cell division. ROS are important regulators of the cell cycle, exerting both favorable and harmful effects depending on their levels in the system, time of action, and cellular context. The present review article highlights the role of ROS as a predisposing factor of cell cycle arrest and its effect on various stages of the cell cycle. It also considers the role ROS plays in disorders that are caused by oxidative stress, presents the interplay between ROS and cell division and explores the therapeutic intervention beneficial in managing these disorders.

Background Lithium prescription rates have witnessed a significant downward trend over the years in different continents despite evidence of its clinical efficacy in the acute and long-term maintenance treatment of Bipolar Disorder (BD). Nigeria has a paucity of data on lithium use in BD management. Hence, we aim to investigate the lithium prescription rate and factors influencing its use among Nigerian psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists. Methods A cross-sectional survey involving 203 respondents working in different accredited psychiatric training facilities in Nigeria was conducted between April and May 2024 using a predesigned online Google form. Information relating to lithium use in managing the different phases of BD and factors influencing its use were assessed. Results The mean age of the respondents was 37.98 (± 6.85) years. The lithium prescription rate is low (10.89%). There is a significant association between the respondents’ awareness of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) and good adherence to CPG (p = 0.003), but this did not significantly influence lithium prescription among them. Older years of practice influence prescribing lithium (p = < 0.001). Monitoring and availability of lithium constituted significant concerns for lithium use, among other factors (p = 0.032). Conclusion The study revealed a low lithium prescription rate among Nigerian psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists compared to international studies. There is a need for concerted efforts towards addressing the identified factors. A review of the existing local CPG in line with the best evidence is warranted for improved clinical outcomes. Ethics registration The study was approved by the Hospital Research and Ethical Committee (HREC) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) with approval protocol number (UPTH/ADM/90/S.11/VOL.XI/1688). Clinical trial number Not applicable.