Publication Title INSTRUCTION-RELATED MENTAL ABUSES OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN: IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher JOURNAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
Publication Authors Clara Dumebi MOEMEKE and Gilbert C UGBEBOR
Year Published 2017-01-01
Abstract Issues of child abuse have become more prevalent in the society even in the Early Childhood and Care (ECC) centres. This abuse assumes different shapes and dimensions. Common but often neglected in the advocacy against child abuse is mental abuse of the child through instructional process. The paper examined the National Policy on Education and the National Curriculum of Early Childhood recommended practices for the early childhood level and identifies ways and practices by which caregivers and teachers at the early childhood centres abuse the children mentally through inappropriate curriculum implementation and instruction. Training of caregivers in developmental theories and pedagogy, strict compliance with requirements for approving ECC centres and application of the principles and philosophy of differentiated instruction in the implementation of preschool curriculum content were recommended.
Publication Title Bryophyllum Pinnatum: A Potential Attenuator of Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rabbits Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences (IOSR-JPBS)
Paper Link www.iosrjournals.org
Publication Authors Apiamu Augustine, Ugbebor Gilbert and Evuen Uduenevwo Francis
Year Published 2013-07-01
Abstract Cadmium has been famously implicated in the stimulation of free radical production in biosystems resulting in oxidative deterioration of lipids, proteins and DNA, and initiating various pathological conditions in humans and animals. This study therefore, examined the antidotal and ameliorative capacity of crude ethanolic extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum on cadmium-induced oxidative stress using rabbit models. A total of fifteen rabbits (1.30±0.05kg) were used for the study. After two weeks of acclimatization, the rabbits were randomly rifted into three experimental groups- (N, CD & CB) with five animals per group. The control group (N) was injected normal saline intraperitoneally (3mg/kg body weight) and the test groups (CD & CB) were administered cadmium once daily by subcutaneous injection (3mg/kg body weight). The ethanolic extract of the plant was orally administered once daily at a dose of 100mg/kg body weight. The oxidative and antioxidative stress parameters were assessed in tissues. The results showed significant difference (p? 0.05) in treated groups relative to the control group with the exception of glutathione peroxidase activity in leg muscles. Therefore, the results obtained in this study confirmed the potency of the plant to annihilate cadmium toxicity in animals.
Publication Title Comparative Assessment of Lipids and Physicochemical Properties of African Locust Beans and Shea Nut Oils Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher Journal of Natural Sciences Research
Paper Link www.iiste.org
Publication Authors Apiamu Augustine, Igunbor Christian Okoro, Evuen Uduenevwo Francis, Ugbebor Gilbert and Osanebi Okuchukwu
Year Published 2013-11-01
Abstract The lipid composition and the physico-chemical properties of two Nigerian grown seed oils of Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa were investigated. The seeds of Parkia biglobosa were boiled for 12hours, dehusked, sun-dried and grinded into fine powdery form for oil extraction while the fruits of Vitellaria paradoxa were depulped such that its seeds on drying were deshelled and grinded into fine powdery paste for oil extraction. The seeds consist of 34% and 25% (dry w/w) crude oil respectively. At room temperature, the seed oil of Parkia biglobosa is liquid while the seed oil of Vitellaria paradoxa is semi-solid. The physicochemical properties of these oils indicated that mean free fatty acid, saponification, peroxide, acid and iodine values were 4.77%, 175.32mgKOH/g, 3.7mgO2/g, 9.48mgKOH/g, 82.40 for Parkia biglobosa and 5.93%, 63.77mgKOH/g, 3.0mgO2/g, 11.7mgKOH/g, 56.35 for Vitellaria paradoxa respectively. The Specific Gravity (SG) of both oils were less than a unit, so they are less dense than water and will float on it. The moisture content is in the range 0.83 – 1.21%, which is generally low hence indicating that the seed oils could be stored for a long period. Both oils were found to have iodine values, which conveniently places them as non-drying oils. The acid values also showed that the oils may be sourced for edible purposes. The saponification value of Parkia biglobosa seed oil indicated that it is good for soap production. The High performance Liuid Chromatography (HPLC) results showed that the oils contain 63% and 54% of triacylglycerol for Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa respectively. Major fatty acid - oleic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid were 12.5%, 9.0%, 6.7%, 5.0%, 5.3% and 13.1%, 9.5%, 7.0%, 5.3% and 5.2% for Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa respectively.The study indicated a marked significant difference in the lipid composition and physicochemical properties of Parkia biglobosa as compared with Vitellaria paradoxa.
Publication Title GENERATION OF HEAVY METAL RISK ASSESSMENT VARIABLES FROM VEGETABLES Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher J. Sci. Engr. Tech
Publication Authors A. Apiamu, U.F. Evuen and G. Ugbebor
Year Published 2014-06-01
Abstract The major point of procurement of vegetables regardless of their sources of cultivation and contamination by organic and inorganic pollutants such as crude oil and heavy metals, is the market. However, there is increasing concern in the consumption of vegetables as a result of food safety issues and potential health risks associated with these food materials. Therefore, this study was objectively done to ascertain and unbiasedly generate health risk variables of heavy metal contaminations of vegetables sold and consumed in Oghara in order to form a basal reference for the future. In order to actualise the set objective, three vegetable types namely Telfaria occidentalis, Talinum triangulare and Amaranthus hybridus were sampled from two markets (Ogharefe and Otefe markets), in Oghara. A total of twelve fresh samples with four samples for each variety, were randomly procured aseptically and subjected to heavy metal analysis of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cd, Cr and Pb respectively using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Cd, Mn, Cr and Pb were not detected in any of the vegetable samples. However, the average mean concentrations of Fe, Zn and Cu in Telfaria occidentalis, Talinum triangulare and Amaranthus hybridus respectively, which ranged 256.67-272mg/kg, 42.72-47.67mg/kg and 17.51-24.38mg/kg were within the FAO/WHO permissible limits. Health risk assessment variables, which include daily intake rate (DIR), hazard quotient (HQ) and health risk index (HRI) were computed for both children and adults, and the results obtained so far indicated that the consumption of these vegetables is safe and healthy for the exposed population of Oghara community.
Publication Title Distinctive Roles of Butylated Hydroxytoluene and Ascorbic Acid in Lead-Instigated Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
Paper Link www.tjnpr.org
Publication Authors Esther N.O. Obiwulu, Augustine Apiamu, Gilbert Ugbebor
Year Published 2021-02-03
Abstract Overwhelmed antioxidant defense system of exposed biological system to a toxicant maybe relieved using in vitro antioxidant source. Here, the study evaluated the distinctive roles of ascorbic acid (AA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in lead (Pb)-instigated oxidative stress in Wistar rats, where group I rats received 1.0 mL of distilled water, group II rats received a single dose of 30 mg PbCl2 per kg b.w. of rats by intraperitoneal injection, groups III and IV dosed with the toxicant received 25 mg/kg of AA and BHT, and group V dosed with the toxicant received 25 mg/kg of AA and BHT orally daily for 28 days. There was a significant increase (p < 0> 0.05) occurred in tissue MDA levels for group III and IV rats. SOD activity decreased significantly for group II rats, as compared with group I rats, but group III-V rats showed enhanced SOD activity in tissues assessed in relation to group II rats at p<0.05. CAT activity was significantly inhibited in tissues of group II rats relative to group I rats, which was significantly improved in group III-V rats relative to group II rats at p<0.05. Therefore, Pb-mediated oxidative stress was better improved by oral administration of AA than BHT, which suggested the exogenous use of natural antioxidants in lead toxicity.
Publication Title Exposure to Nickel–Cadmium Contamination of Drinking Water Culminates in Liver Cirrhosis, Renal Azotemia, and Metabolic Stress in Rats
Publication Type journal
Publisher Biological Trace Element Research
Paper Link https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03777-y
Publication Authors Augustine Apiamu, Oghenetega J. Avwioroko, Uduenevwo F. Evuen, Helen E. Kadiri, Enyohwo D. Kpomah, Akpovwehwee A. Anigboro, Gilbert Ugbebor, Samuel O. Asagba
Year Published 2023-07-20
Abstract Drinking water polluted by heavy metals has the potential to expose delicate biological systems to a range of health issues. This study embraced the health risks that may arise from subchronic exposure of thirty-four male Wistar rats to nickel (Ni)- cadmium (Cd)-contaminated water. It was done by using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) with three treatment factors (Ni and Cd doses at 50-150 mg/L and exposure at 14–21-28 days) at a single alpha level, resulting in seventeen experimental combinations. Responses such as serum creatinine (CREA) level, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level, BUN/CREA ratio (BCR), aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST and ALT) activities, and the De Ritis ratio (DRR), as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) level, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, were evaluated. The results revealed that these pollutants jointly caused hepatocellular damage by raising AST and ALT activities and renal dysfunction by increasing CREA and BUN levels in Wistar rats’ sera (p<0>80% at no discernible lack of fit (p>0.05). The findings hereby demonstrated that Wistar rats exposed to these pollutants at varied doses had increased risks of developing liver cirrhosis and azotemia marked by metabolic stress.
Publication Title EVALUATION OF AMINO ACIDS COMPOSITION OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOL EXTRACT OF PHYLLANTHUS NIRURI STEM FROM AGBOR, NIGERIA Download PDF
Publication Type journal
Publisher FUDMA Journal of Sciences (FJS)
Paper Link https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2024-0804-2555
Publication Authors Onyeukwu, O.B., Ugbebor, G.C. and Iyeh, U.P.
Year Published 2024-08-01
Abstract Global belief in the use of plants as an alternative form of medicine and food has grown as a result of research on the benefits of plants in treating a variety of diseases and as an inexpensive source of nutrients for both healthy and malnourished people. This study therefore evaluated the amino acid compositions of aqueous and ethanol extract of Phyllanthus niruri stem. Homogenization at a 25% w/v concentration was used to extract the Phyllanthus niruri stem's aqueous and ethanol extract. The qualitative and amino acid compositions were determined using Agilent 1260 High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The result revealed that amino acids were present in both the aqueous and ethanol extracts of the Phyllanthus niruri stem. However, the aqueous extract which had 14 amino acids with total amino acids of 16245.41445 Pmol/?l (79%) contained a higher concentration of amino acids than the ethanol extract which had 13 amino acids with total amino acids of 4334.39057 Pmol/?l (21%) with tyrosine having the highest concentration of 13717.18855 Pmol/?l and 3047.75364 Pmol/?l in the aqueous and ethanol extracts respectively. The aqueous extract of Phyllanthus niruri stem contained 58% more amino acids than the ethanol extract. Therefore, P. niruri stems may be used as a medicinal substitute or as a source of nutrients to improve human health and fight malnutrition