Objective: Brain Fag Syndrome (BFS) is a psychiatric disorder associated with study among African students. Among secondary school students, it affects two to four out of every ten students. One of the consequences of this illness is early foreclosure of education in affected students. However, clinical experience suggests that many students have sub-threshold symptoms of brain fag and are at risk for developing brain fag syndrome. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable psychometric instrument that measures brain fag syndrome propensity. Methods: External and internal expert panels as well as a patient focus group evaluated a large pool of potential item stems gathered from the psychological and psychiatric literature. Potential scale items were then administered to 250 students along with a set of validating questionnaires. Final item selection was based upon rigorous empirical criteria and the psychometric properties of the final scale were examined. Results: A final four dimensional 20-item scale, the Brain Fag Syndrome Propensity Scale, has a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.795, split half reliability of 0.813 for the part 1 (10 items) and 0.585 for the part 2 (10 items), and Spearman-Brown coefficient of 0.557. The intrinsic validity yielded a coefficient of 0.892. Conclusion: The current results indicate the BFPS has an excellent internal consistency as well as good content and concurrent validity and should have significant utility as a brief, valid measure of propensity to develop brain fag syndrome or sub-threshold cases of BFS.

Aims: The research was done to study the partial purification and characterization of thermostable alkaline protease from Lactobacillus brevis. Methodology and Results: The enzyme was purified in a two-step procedure involving ammonium sulphate precipitation and Sephadex G-150 gel permeation chromatography. The protease was purified 8.04 fold with a yield of approximately 30% after purification with Sephadex G-150 column. It has a relative molecular weight of 33.2 kDa and optimally active at a temperature of 60 oC and pH 9.0. The maximum velocity Vmax and Michaelis constant Km of the protease produced during the hydrolysis of casein were 66.66 U/mg protein and 3.33 mg/ml. It was strongly activated by Ca2+ and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), mildly inhibited by Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Fe2+ and strongly inhibited by Cu2+ and Hg2+. The ability of the enzyme to improve the cleansing power of various detergents was also studied. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The findings in this study suggest that the protease is a suitable candidate for detergent formulation and biotechnological applications.

Objective: Brain Fag, a culture bound syndrome which manifests especially among students in Africa was investigated in relation to sleep and beliefs about sleep in a sample of Nigerian secondary school students. Methods: A sample of 500 secondary school students were drawn from six secondary schools in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The Brain Fag Syndrome Scale, Beliefs and Attitude about sleep Questionnaire, and selected items of Pittsburgh Sleep Index were administered on the participants. Results: Students with Brain Fag Syndrome (BFS) slept an average of 5.8 hrs (S.D = 1.1) while those without BFS slept an average of 5.9 hrs (S.D = 1.1). One hundred and eighty two (37.3%) BFS students slept above 6 hrs a day compared with 32 (62.7%) of non BFS students (t = -2.667; df = 49; p = 0.657). Students with BFS (44.3%) slept early while 33.8% of students without BFS slept early (X2 = 7.324, df = 3, p = 0.007). Early insomnia was experienced by 57% of BFS cases while 55% of non BFS cases experienced early insomnia (X2 = 2.019; df = 1; p = 0.155). Conclusion: BFS students in Nigeria to adjust their sleep patterns and habits in order to forestall clinically significant psychological breakdown and impairment in cognitive functioning.

Aims: The research was done to study the conditions enhancing catalytic activities of alkaline proteases from Vibro sp., Lactobacillus brevis, Zymomonas sp., Athrobacter sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus subtilis. Methodology and Results: The proteolytic enzymes were purified in 2-step procedures involving ammonium sulphate precipitation and sephadex G-150 gel permeation chromatography. The upper and lower limits for the specific activities of proteases from the selected microorganisms were estimated at 20.63 and 47.51 units/mg protein with Zymomonas protease having the highest specific activity towards casein as its substrate and purification fold of 3.46, while that of Lactobacillus brevis protease was 8.06. The native molecular weights of these active proteins ranged from 30.4 to 45.7 kDa with Athrobacter sp. protease having the highest weight for its subunits. The proteolytic enzymes had optimum pH range of 8 to 10 and temperature range of 50 to 62 ºC accounting for the percentage relative activity range of 75 to 94% and 71 to 84 % respectively. The activities of Lactobacillus brevis and Bacillus subtilis proteases were maximum at pH 9 and 10 respectively. Lactobacillus brevis protease activity was maximum at temperature of 62 ºC, while beyond this value, a general thermal instability of these active proteins was observed. At above 70 ºC, the catalytic activities of Corynebacterium sp., Vibrio sp., Zymomonas sp. and Arthrobacter sp. proteases were progressively reduced over a period of 120 min of incubation, while Bacillus subtlis and Lactobacillus brevis proteases were relatively stable. Effect of metal ions was investigated on the catalytic activity of protease from the microorganisms. Lactobacillus brevis, Zymomonas sp., Arthrobacter sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus subtilis protease activities were strongly activated by metal ions such as Ca+2 and Mg+2. Enzyme activities were inhibited strongly by Cu2+ and Hg2+ but were not inhibited by ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), while a slight inhibition was observed with K+, Na+ and Fe2+. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The outcome of this present study indicated useful physico-chemical properties of proteolytic enzymes that could be of biotechnological use in enhancing enzyme catalytic efficiency.

Introduction: Adolescent obesity is a growing public health problem worldwide. This study assessed the prevalence of obesity in a sample of Nigerian rural adolescents using different anthropometric indices. Methods: A total of 600 secondary school adolescents aged 10 to 19 years were selected from ten secondary schools in the Aba South Local Government Area (WA) using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Weight, height, arm circumference, and skinfold measurements were obtained using standard methods. Body fat percentage was calculated according to the Slaughter and Shaikh equations. Descriptive statistics were used to examine gender-specific anthropometric indices. Chi-square and independent t-test were applied to determine differences between the sexes. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the subjects was 9.7% and 3.5%, respectively. There was a significant difference between males and females for waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, waist-height ratio and body fat percentage. Females had more fat deposits in all the skinfold sites measured than males regardless of age group. Females also had significantly higher body fat than males. Multiple regression analysis revealed that calf fat was a strong predictor of body fat percentage in the subjects. Conclusion: More than 10% of the rural Nigerian adolescents studied were overweight, with the females showing significantly higher body fat than the males according to the criteria used. Further studies are recommended to identify contributing factors for the results obtained.

Introduction: Adolescent obesity is a growing public health problem worldwide. This study assessed the prevalence of obesity in a sample of Nigerian rural adolescents using different anthropometric indices. Methods: A total of 600 secondary school adolescents aged 10 to 19 years were selected from ten secondary schools in the Aba South Local Government Area (WA) using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Weight, height, arm circumference, and skinfold measurements were obtained using standard methods. Body fat percentage was calculated according to the Slaughter and Shaikh equations. Descriptive statistics were used to examine gender-specific anthropometric indices. Chi-square and independent t-test were applied to determine differences between the sexes. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the subjects was 9.7% and 3.5%, respectively. There was a significant difference between males and females for waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, waist-height ratio and body fat percentage. Females had more fat deposits in all the skinfold sites measured than males regardless of age group. Females also had significantly higher body fat than males. Multiple regression analysis revealed that calf fat was a strong predictor of body fat percentage in the subjects. Conclusion: More than 10% of the rural Nigerian adolescents studied were overweight, with the females showing significantly higher body fat than the males according to the criteria used. Further studies are recommended to identify contributing factors for the results obtained.

Cervical cancer is preventable through gynecological screening. To promote participation among non-attending women, self-collected vaginal samples for detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) is an option. The aims of this study were to investigate the response of self-collected vaginal samples for hr-HPV testing among long-term non-attendees, to explore the attendance at follow-up among HPV-positive women, and to analyze the prevalence of hr-HPV and severe cervical dysplasia or cancer among the responders. A vaginal self-sampling kit was sent to 19,766 women aged 30-70 years who had not provided a cervical screening sample for ≥ 7 years in Skåne, Sweden. The self-sample was analyzed by the Aptima HPV mRNA assay (Hologic). Women testing positive for HPV were invited for follow-up. The response was 18.5% (3,646/19,757). The prevalence of HPV mRNA was 11.3% (412/3,636). Among HPV-positive women, 85.7% (353/412) attended follow-up, and of these, 44.8% (158/353) had HPV in the cervical sample. The HPV mRNA test of self-samples showed a positive predictive value of 9.3% ([33/353], 95% CI = 6.5-12.9) for detection of cytologically severe dysplasia. Histologically severe dysplasia or cancer was detected in 0.88% ([32/3,636], 95% CI = 0.6-1.2) among responders, including two cervical- and one vaginal cancer. In conclusion, almost one fifth of the long-term non-attendees participated in self-collected vaginal hr-HPV sampling. The prevalence of histologically confirmed high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or cervical cancer was not increased significantly compared to regularly screened women in Sweden. The relatively high HPV prevalence among the self-samples indicates the importance of diagnostic follow-up with cervical HPV testing and reflex-cytology of HPV-positive cases.

Aims: Variation in the traditional growth medium conditions to enhance the production of lipids, carbohydrates, protein and the free amino acids content of three cyanobacterial species. Methodology and Results: Three species of cyanobacteria (Anabaena laxa, Anabaena fertilissima and Nostoc muscorum) were collected from the culture collection of Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt, to investigate their biochemical composition under different growth conditions, using BG110 (nitrogen free) as growth medium. These conditions were represented by control medium, static glucose medium with (1%, w/v), aerated medium (aerated by bubbling technique depending on CO2 normally existed in air with a concentration of 0.03%), molasses medium (0.7%, v/v) and aerated medium enriched with glucose (1%, w/v). Lipid content, total carbohydrates, soluble proteins and free amino acids were determined at the previous conditions. Glucose at 0.7% (w/v) was the most favorable for lipid production in A. laxa, where it exhibited the highest lipid content (427 μg/g fresh wt.). Increasing molasses concentration up to 0.7% (v/v) produced an increase in lipid contents of the tested cyanobacterial strains. The highest lipid content of both N. muscorum (366.2 μg/g fresh wt.) and A. laxa (357.4 μg/g fresh wt.) were recorded at molasses concentrations of 0.1 and 0.7% (v/v), respectively. A. laxa expressed high significant values for both proteins (31.6 μg/mL) and free amino acids (40.5 mg/g dry wt.) after 6 days of incubation period under aerated enriched glucose condition (1%, w/v). Also, at the same growth conditions, A. fertilissima exhibited high significant values for carbohydrates at 4th day (876.8 mg/g dry wt.). Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Aerated enriched glucose medium (1%, w/v) was the best growth medium condition used in the present study.

Objective:To investigate the effect of temperature and pressure on supercritical CO2 extraction of Triognella foenum graecum Linn seeds,to determine the optimal condition which leads to highest percentage of the accumulative yield and revealing the chemical composition of supercritical CO2 extract.Methods:Temperatures in the range of 40-60℃ and pressures in the range of 10-25 MPa were used.FTIR and GC-MS analysis were used to detect the bioactive compounds present in the extract.The broth dilution method and slope method were used to evaluate the anti-microbial and anti-tuberculosis activities and the in vitro anti-malarial assay was carried out according to the micro assay protocol of Rieckmann and his coworkers.Results:The temperature was more affected than the pressure on the extraction performance and the highest yield of the extract (3.111％) was attained at 60℃ and 10 MPa.FTIR and GC-MS showed that the chemical composition of the extract included conjugated linoleic acid methyl ester as the major active principle (with concentration of 72.28％),followed by saturated fatty acid methyl esters (16.03％),steroids (8.09％) and organic siloxane compound (3.61％).The extract showed moderate anti-bacterial activity with MIC values 100,250,125 μg/mL towards Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenus respectively.It exhibited high inhibition effect towards the fungi Candida albican with MFC value (250 μg/mL).The extract had low antituberculosis activity with MIC value (100 μg/mL) and comparable MIC value (0.29 μg/mL) towards Plasmodium flaciparurn.Conclusions:Supercritical CO2 extraction as alternate and green technology is performed successfully to extract the bioactive compounds from the seeds of T.foenum graecum Linn and it is concluded that this extract can be used as an alternate source of synthetic anti-biotic drugs.

Cervical cancer is preventable through gynecological screening. To promote participation among non-attending women, self-collected vaginal samples for detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) is an option. The aims of this study were to investigate the response of self-collected vaginal samples for hr-HPV testing among long-term non-attendees, to explore the attendance at follow-up among HPV-positive women, and to analyze the prevalence of hr-HPV and severe cervical dysplasia or cancer among the responders. A vaginal self-sampling kit was sent to 19,766 women aged 30-70 years who had not provided a cervical screening sample for ≥ 7 years in Skåne, Sweden. The self-sample was analyzed by the Aptima HPV mRNA assay (Hologic). Women testing positive for HPV were invited for follow-up. The response was 18.5% (3,646/19,757). The prevalence of HPV mRNA was 11.3% (412/3,636). Among HPV-positive women, 85.7% (353/412) attended follow-up, and of these, 44.8% (158/353) had HPV in the cervical sample. The HPV mRNA test of self-samples showed a positive predictive value of 9.3% ([33/353], 95% CI = 6.5-12.9) for detection of cytologically severe dysplasia. Histologically severe dysplasia or cancer was detected in 0.88% ([32/3,636], 95% CI = 0.6-1.2) among responders, including two cervical- and one vaginal cancer. In conclusion, almost one fifth of the long-term non-attendees participated in self-collected vaginal hr-HPV sampling. The prevalence of histologically confirmed high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or cervical cancer was not increased significantly compared to regularly screened women in Sweden. The relatively high HPV prevalence among the self-samples indicates the importance of diagnostic follow-up with cervical HPV testing and reflex-cytology of HPV-positive cases.