2023

This study examined the fading effect of religious consciousness among university students in Nigeria, with a specific focus on the University of Benin. This study sought to find out the role of the university education in promoting religious consciousness among students, the extent which western culture and values influence the religious consciousness among university and the extent which social media influences religious consciousness among university students. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of the entire fulltime (400 level) final year undergraduate students in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Benin. The simple random sampling technique was used to select twenty (20) students from five course areas in the Department of Educational Foundation. A structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for the study. Data collected were analyzed using Simple Mean ( ) and Standard Deviation (SD) were to analyze the data meant to answer the research
questions. The findings from the research questions include that: Western culture and values influence the religious consciousness of university students, Social media influence religious consciousness among university to a large extent. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that religious instruction should be entrenched in the university curriculum. This is imperative as we assume that religion brings the fear of God and consequently that students who fear God would not engage in unruly behaviour, and this would make for a peaceful atmosphere

This research was conducted to examine the coverage of new CBN policy on redesigned naira note, by select mainstream newspapers in Nigeria. Its aimwereto ascertain the level of coverage given to CBN new policy on redesigned naira note, find out what prominence was given to new CBN policy on redesigned naira note, ascertain the possible position of newspapers in the newspaper reportage of CBN policy on redesigned naira note, determine the pattern of reports given to report age on new CBN policy on redesigned naira note and lastly ascertain the frequency of stories on the CBN policy on redesigned naira note. The content analysis method was adopted to carefully collect data from newspaper stories published from October 26, 2022 to February 2023. A total of 71 editions of both Vanguard and Guardian newspapers were collated and analyzed. The study was anchored on the Agenda-Setting theory and the media dependency theory. The findings of the research revealed that; Media organizations in Nigeria, gave a high level of reportage onCBNpolicy on redesigned naira note, media organizations did not give prominence to there portage of activities on CBN policy on redesigned naira note, media organizationsfailed in their correlation or interpretative function as most of the items on the subject matter were reported as straight news, newspapers in Nigeria were not frequent enough with the reportage of CBN policy on redesigned naira note, media organizations is on the negative stand point on the issue of CBN policy on redesigned naira note, media organizations, covered more items on criticism and reactions of the public on the policy. The researcher however recommends that; Media organizations should avoid adding too much emotions to their new stories, so that the audience will not get too emotional and miss the message, on issues of government policies, media organizations, should be more frequent in the reportage of stories, that has to do with policies at its early stage, rather than engaging in the rush hour approach, to ensure proper understanding, more media practitioners should be trained on financial analysis, so that when any policy that has to do with finance, is made by the government, they will be able to conduct proper analysis on it, while trying to represent the public, on issues of government policies, the media should place more focus on stories that will enlighten the members of the public rather than projecting stories of attack and problems emanating from the policy, the media should try as much as possible to be on a neutral position and uphold truth and accuracy, so that they will not present the government in a bad light.

This research explores the dynamic interplay between online newspaper reporting and public perception of crime and justice issues, with a particular focus on the Nigerian media landscape. As online newspapers have gained prominence in the information landscape, understanding their influence on how the public views matters related to crime and justice becomes increasingly vital. The study delved into the reporting practices of two major Nigerian online newspapers, Punch and Vanguard, aimed at deciphering how their coverage of crime and justice impacts public perception. It employed content analysis as the research method, systematically collecting and analyzing data from a total of 178 editions of both newspapers published between January 1, 2023, and March 31, 2023.The findings of this study offer noteworthy insights. Media organizations, it appears, give considerable coverage to crime and justice issues, but often lack prominence in their reporting. Their interpretative function falls short, as most articles tend to present straight news. Furthermore, the frequency of reporting on these critical topics is not as high as might be expected. The media's standpoint leans more towards the negative side concerning crime and justice matters, with a particular focus on criticism and public reactions to policies.In light of these findings, several recommendations emerge. Media organizations are urged to maintain a balanced emotional tone in their news reporting. Increased frequency in reporting on policy related issues, especially in their early stages, is advised to enhance public understanding. The media should prioritize informative reporting that enlightens the public rather than emphasizing stories of conflict and policy challenges. Finally, a call is made for the media to uphold neutrality, truth, and accuracy in their reporting to present a fair representation of government policies. This research underscores the pivotal role of online newspapers in shaping public perceptions of crime and justice in Nigeria. It contributes to the fields of media studies and journalism, offering a comprehensive examination of how these newspapers influence public opinion and policy making in this crucial domain.

BACKGROUND: Globally, COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a major public health concern and has had severe, wide-reaching effects on the functioning of societies, economies, social and healthcare systems worldwide. In addition to the ongoing health crisis, mental health crisis has been unfolding. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers had high workload and exposure to multiple psychosocial stressors. The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers has been assessed worldwide, but there are limited data on how healthcare workers have been affected in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, prevalence and effect of COVID-19 on the mental health status of Frontline and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and also to identify their coping strategies. METHODOLOGY: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 through June 2023 among Frontline Health Workers and Non-Frontline Health Workers of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City using a systemic random sampling technique. The sample size was calculated using the formula for estimating two proportions for a comparative cross-sectional study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics and Research Committee, University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire adapted and modified from the World Health Organization( WHO )Interim Guidance document on the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the Brief-COPES Strategy scale. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25.0 and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Data presentation was done using graphs, frequency tables and prose.

This study was designed to assess the methods of teaching integrated science courses to integrated science students in Nigerian Institutions. Three research questions was raised. The study was delimited to integrated science students in Nigerian institutions. The survey research design was used in conducting the study. The population of the study consisted of integrated science students across the four levels of Integrated Science Education course area in the department of CIT, University of Benin of which a sample size of 50 students were used for the study. The main instrument for the study was a self-structured questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was established by giving it to the supervisor of the research work and two other experts in the field of this research study. The reliability of the instrument was established using the test-retest method of estimating reliability. After computation, the reliability yielded a Coefficient of 0.783. The questionnaire was distributed directly to the respondents by the researcher. After the collection and collation of the instrument, the data obtained were subjected to analysis using frequency counts and percentages. Results from the study showed among other things that, there is an average use of adequate methods of teaching integrated science education by the lecturers teaching integrated science courses and also there is an average use of the adequate and necessary instructional/teaching aids to guide teaching and learning. Consequent upon the findings of this study, it was recommended that; state government through the state ministry of education should improve the knowledge of teachers on the methods of teaching that can enhance teaching and learning, government should ensure that they make provision for adequate learning facilities and environment in order for teachers to be able to adopt these methods effectively, the deans in the faculties where integrated science courses are being taught and the Head of Departments of Integrated science should ensure they monitor the teaching and learning in order to monitor the adoption and use of effective teaching methods, students should be enlightened properly on the techniques of the various teaching methods and how to adjust properly

Isoniazid is a widely used drug in tuberculosis treatment regimens. Its application in “direct observed therapy short course ”(DOTS) along with other medications has been well documented to be efficacious and effective. However, since its introduction over 70 years ago, it has been found to possess adverse effects such as the induction of neuropathies. There are estimates that as many as 10 % of patients receiving isoniazid will develop some form of neuropathy. Introduction of new medications to stop these neuropathies still pose a challenge. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is currently recommended with isoniazid therapy to avert induction of neuropathy. Although ,the potential of vitamin C as an antioxidant to prevent induced neuropathies has been suggested based on previous studies, the findings from this study were intended to contribute valuable i sights into the potential therapeutic role of vitamin C as an adjuvant to mitigate neuropathic complications in isoniazid- based therapies. Using well-established animal models, we assessed the effects of vitamin C supplementation on the development and progression of some neuropathic symptoms induced by isoniazid administration. Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: control, isoniazid-treated (800 mg/kg), and combination-treated; Isoniazid with vitamin C in low (7.5 mg/kg), medium (15mg/kg), high (30 mg/kg) daily doses and isoniazid with pyridoxine (50 mg/kg). Behavioural assessments, including sensory and motor function tests, were conducted at the end of a seven day period to monitor the onset and severity of neuropathy. In conclusion, our findings revealed that isoniazid administration led to a significant decline in sensory and motor functions indicative of peripheral nerve damage. Vitamin C supplementation did not demonstrate a remarkable attenuation of these neuropathic manifestations. Rats co- administered with isoniazid and vitamin C did not exhibit any improvement in sensory and motor functions when compared with the control and standard therapy of pyridoxine. These results negate the potential neuroprotective effects of vitamin C against isoniazid-induced
peripheral neuropathy

The global consumption of energy drinks and caffeine-containing beverages has increased due to their stimulating effects, yet concerns regarding their impact on oxidative stress remain largely unaddressed. This study investigates the effects of energy drinks and caffeine on oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA), in heart and kidney tissues. Fifty (50) young Sprague-rats weighing between 164g-250g were used for this study. The rats were divided into five groups; Group 1 as control (n=10) received water, Group 2 (n=10) received 5ml of energy drink, Group 3 (n=10) received 10ml energy drink, Group 4 (n=10) received 5ml of caffeine 0.89mg/kg b.w., Group 5 (n=10) received 10ml of caffeine 2.0mg/kg b.w. The various doses of energy drinks and caffeine were administered orally daily for six weeks .Weight of rats were taken weekly, at the end of the experimental period, the rats were sacrificed and organs collected into plain tubes filled with normal saline solution. Oxidative stress parameters were measured using spectrophometric method. Results were presented as standard error of mean (SEM). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of tests and control value while the post-hoc test was done using Dunnett’s multiple comparison tests and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results showed that energy drinks increased antioxidant enzyme activities in the heart but also elevated MDA levels, indicating oxidative stress. Caffeine reduced antioxidant activity in the heart and increased MDA levels in the kidney, signifying oxidative damage. These effects were tissue-specific and dose-dependent, highlighting potential health risks. In conclusion, excessive consumption of energy drinks and caffeine may pose health risks due to oxidative stress. Therefore, public awareness and regulatory measures are essential to mitigate these effects.

The proliferation of Urban Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is occurring due to the surging population, which has led to a demand for alternative crop cultivation methods. Consequently, there is a necessity to cultivate yams in containers as a means to enhance food security. Hence, a study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different combinations of garden soil and poultry manure potting media on the growth and yield of four cultivars of yam (Dioscorea spp.). The study was carried out in containers (cement bags) in a field plot in Benin City, Nigeria. The treatments included: (i) garden soil alone (1:0), (ii) one part garden soil and one part poultry manure (1:1), (iii) two parts garden soil and one part poultry manure (2:1), while four cultivars of yam including white yam (Ada Onitsha and Fakasa), water yam
and yellow yam were used. The experiment was a 3 × 4 factorial laid out as a Completely Randomized Design with three replicates. At nine weeks after planting, data was collected and recorded. At four months after planting harvest was done for only one cultivar (ada onitsha). The data collected was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test the significance of the treatment means using Genstat Statistical Package. The results indicated that there were no significant differences observed in the growth characteristics of the different potting media. However, significant cultivar differences were observed in number of vines, leaf area, number of leaves, stem girth, and petiole length. The potting media treatments showed significant differences in tuber length, tuber girth, and tuber yield per bag with 2:1 garden soil and poultry manure producing the highest tuber yield per bag(1.47kg) while (1:1) and (1:0) produced (0.50kg) and (0.47kg) respectively. Therefore, the combination of garden soil and poultry manure with a ratio of 2:1 would be suitable for cultivating yam in containers.

Globally, human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights and the psychological and social functioning impacts millions of people in all society including Nigerians. Nigeria is a source and transit nation for human trafficking, with many victims originating from vulnerable neighborhoods like Okogbo in Benin City, Edo State (Adepoju, 2019). Human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, transit, housing, or reception of persons for the purpose of exploitation using force, deception, or coercion (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2018). These people are taken advantage of in industries like commercial sex, manufacturing, domestic work, fishing, agriculture, and domestic work. 42% of victims are victims within their own nations, despite the fact that the majority of victims are trafficked across international borders (UNODC, 2016). 71% of the victims that have been found are female, and 28% are minors (UNODC, 2016).

This study has used the recently established combination between EAM and
the TB-SMA scheme to determine the n, p, q parameters values needed for the
calculation of total energy of the three FCC metals which include Ag, Pd and Pt. The EAM and TB-SMA was established to replace the old approach of determining parameters for calculating total energy because of its improved computational efficiency and accurate results. The Microsoft excel programming language has been employed in this study to reproduce results with good accuracy as compared with previous studies using other programming software.