Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), also known as UDUSOK, is a public research university located in the city of Sokoto, north western Part of Nigeria. It is one of the initial twelve universities founded in Nigeria by the federal government in 1975.The university is named after the famous Usman dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Sickle cell disease (SCD), a β-haemoglobinopathy, is a neglected multi-system disorder caused by inherited abnormal haemoglobin structure or production and leads to catastrophic economic burden on affected households and societies. We assessed the predictors of both SCD severity and SCD care costs. This is a retrospective chart review of eligible children with SCD in a developing setting. Their sociodemographic, clinical and costs data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Overall 2503 children with SCD (female: 1053 [51.3
Public automobile parks' soil dust is a significant source of inhalable particulate matter in metropolitan environments worldwide. This study aims to examine the health risks associated with ten potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Hg, Li, Zn and Pb) and their composition in 13 different motor parks in the Northwest region of Nigeria. The samples were digested with acids and analysed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, while cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrophotometers were used to analyse mercury. The highest mean concentrations followed the sequence Ba (189 mg/kg), followed by Zn (157 mg/kg), Cu (115 mg/kg), Cr (58.93 mg/kg), Ni (34.27 mg/kg), Pb (23.72 mg/kg), Cd (9.63 mg/kg), Li (1.07 mg/kg), and Hg (0.08 mg/kg). Ba and Zn exhibited the highest enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF). The health risk assessment for PTEs showed that As, Pb, Cr, and Ba have the greatest health index, suggesting a possible health risk where ingestion is the primary pathway, with children having higher vulnerability than adults. The geo-accumulation index reflected different pollution levels, with certain elements presenting serious ecological risks. The study also revealed different pollution patterns in automobile parks by comparing its findings with those of other studies conducted around the world. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the sources of PTEs in the motor parks' dust includes human activities, vehicular emissions and lithogenic occurrences through leaching and runoffs. The study further showed that metals particularly Cr present slight to high ecological risks. Health hazard evaluation uncovered that the occupants of the area particularly children are more inclined to non-cancer-causing health risks. The study highlights the necessity of implementing remedial measures to address the environmental and public health problems associated with metal pollution.
Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are increasingly associated with oxidative stress and neurotransmitter imbalance. Limitations of current pharmacotherapies have intensified interest in plant-derived agents with multi-target activity. Objective: This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of the n-butanol fraction of Caralluma dalzielii (BUF), alongside exploratory in silico analysis of potential molecular interactions. Methods: Phytochemical profiling was performed using HPLC. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), hydrogen peroxide scavenging, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total phenolic content (TPC) assays. Behavioural effects of BUF (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) were assessed in naive mice using the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), tail suspension test (TST), and forced swim test (FST). Post-behavioural biochemical analyses included modulation of oxidative stress markers, triacylglycerol levels, and acetylcholinesterase activity. Molecular docking was conducted against selected neurobiological targets. Results: BUF exhibited strong antioxidant capacity (DPPH IC50 < 0.2 mg/mL; TPC 537.75 +/- 3.06 mg GAE/g extract). In the EPM, 100 mg/kg significantly increased open-arm entries and time spent in open arms (p < 0.0001), while in the OFT, central crossings were significantly elevated (p < 0.0001), indicating anxiolytic-like activity. In behavioural despair paradigms, immobility time was significantly reduced at 100 mg/kg in both the TST (p < 0.001) and FST (p < 0.001). Biochemically, BUF significantly reduced malondialdehyde levels (p < 0.001), increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activities (p < 0.0001), reduced triacylglycerol levels (p < 0.0001), and inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity (p < 0.0001). Docking analyses indicated favourable binding of key flavonoids, particularly naringenin, to serotonergic, monoaminergic, and GABAergic targets. Conclusion: These findings provide experimental evidence that the BUF exerts significant anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in validated behavioural models, likely mediated through integrated antioxidant, monoaminergic, and cholinergic mechanisms.
This study aims to examine how the integration of Islamic law (syariah) and customary law (adat) occurs within Indonesia’s legal system and to identify the opportunities and challenges arising from this integration. Employing a literature based approach and normative socio legal analysis, the research draws on constitutional, legislative, and judicial sources, supplemented by qualitative case studies from regions such as Aceh, West Sumatra, Bali, and Papua. The findings indicate that while there is significant potential for harmonization particularly through locally grounded dispute resolution mechanisms and hybrid legal practices structural and normative obstacles persist, including institutional fragmentation, normative conflicts in areas like inheritance, and human rights concerns. The study concludes that meaningful integration requires deliberate legal frameworks, inclusive policymaking, and legal education that embraces normative diversity. This research contributes to the broader understanding of legal pluralism in Indonesia and underscores the importance of recognizing diverse legal traditions to foster a more inclusive and culturally responsive justice system.
