Maternal nutrition during pregnancy has been associated with healthy outcomes for both mother and child. This study investigated the factors influencing the nutritional practices of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at a State Hospital in Ogun State, Nigeria. Study employed a descriptive, non-experimental research design. A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to select 210 pregnant women and questionnaires were administered after obtaining ethical approval and written consent. Data obtained was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0. version). Inferential statistics of chi-square was used to test the hypothesis at a significant level of 0.05. Findings revealed that the nutritional practice of participants is inadequate. Although more than half of the participants (52.9%) claimed they eat whenever they felt like, only 29.8% respondents eat variety of food in moderation whereas 43.4% respondents eat fruits and vegetable daily. 82.2% respondents confirmed that they forbid the intake of certain food item when pregnant. Factors that hindered women from maintaining adequate nutritional practices in pregnancy includes low socio-economic status (42.4%), inadequate knowledge about the food item (20.4%), ignorance (13.1%), lack of husband support (12.6%) and forgetfulness (11.5%). Provision of health information was identified as a key measure for improving nutritional practices of women during pregnancy. Nutrition education and counselling given during each antenatal visit should be intensified. Special programs which elicit husband support should be organized in order to increase men’s knowledge of adequate nutrition intake in pregnancy and also enhance supportive care which would positively affect women’s nutritional practice.

This study investigated the prevalence of Canine Distemper (CD) Antigen in dogs in three major clinics in Northern part of Plateau State. A total of 150 blood samples were and sera were used to test for CD Antigen using Rapid CDV Ag Test Kit which is a chromatographic immunoassay for qualitative detection of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) antigen. Associations between factors were analyzed using Chi square at 95% confidence interval. A prevalence of 45.33% was recorded. There was significant difference in relation to age, breed and vaccination status (P<0.05) but no significant difference in relation to sex and location. The result of the study established the presence of CDV infection in the study area incriminating age and breed as the risk factors. Therefore, there is need for establishment of adequate control measures especially through vaccinations and sero-monitoring of the vaccinated animals in the area using rapid CDV test kits.

In a preliminary research, the authors reported that solvents extracts of Alstonia boonei (Egbu) possess strong antimalarial activity against NK-65 Chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei infected mice with aqueous extract having the highest decrease in mean percentage parasitaemia. This research is therefore aimed at evaluating the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of solvents extracts of the plant on kidney. The (LD50, oral) was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, oral doses of 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extracts were administered and mice observed for sign of toxicity and death. In the second phase, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg body weight of the extracts were administered and signs accompanying toxicity and possible death of animals were also monitored. Sub-chronic toxicity studies were carried out to assess the effect of the solvents extracts on kidney function indices after 28 days of oral administration of the extracts at 150, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight. The (LD50, oral) of all extracts was found to be greater than 5000mg/kg which is practically non- toxic according to standard scale of toxicity. The result of sub-chronic toxicity study showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in mean levels of creatinine, urea and serum electrolytes in all extracts administered groups in a dose dependent pattern compared to normal control. However, histopathological analysis of the kidney tissues shows no pathological changes between test groups and normal control. Thus, solvents extracts of Alstonia boonei modifies biochemical parameters (Crea, Urea and Electrolytes) but within the context of duration of this research, no significant pathology was observed in kidney tissues. Alstonia boonei stem bark should be used with caution