Introduction There are claims by traditional medicine practitioners in Nigeria and valuable scientific reports that the leaves of Tephrosia vogelii (TV) hook are used for the treatment of various diseases; however, there is paucity of information on it used in the management of cardiovascular complications despite the rich presence of phytochemicals. This study aimed at investigating effects of solvents extracts of TV leaves and stem on lipid profile of poloxamer 407-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Materials and Methods Varying doses of the solvent extracts (water, ethanol, and acetic acid) of plant material were administered to experimental animals (Albino Wistar rats) induced with hyperlipidemia using poloxamer 407 (P-407). Results The results of the phytochemical screening of leaves and stem revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, phlobatannins, and flavonoids in powdered sample of leaves and stem of TV. Aqueous extract of the leaves had the highest yield (18.21 ± 1.12%), while acetic acid extract of stem had the lowest yield (7.21 ± 1.21%). The cholesterol and triacylglycerol level of rats induced with P-407 was significantly (p≤0.05) higher than normal rats. This study showed that aqueous extract at 50mg/kg body weight significantly (p≤0.05) lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, and triacylglycerol levels. Indices of cardiovascular function atherogenic coefficient, atherogenic index, coronary risk index, and cardioprotective index were positively modulated by the treatment. Conclusion The study indicated that the aqueous leaves extract of TV possesses antihyperlipidemic effects and may explains why it has been found to be useful in the management of cardiovascular diseases by traditional medicine practitioners.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had devastating impacts on the global economy and public health. This study aimed to assess the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and associated factors among staff and students of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2021 and April 2022, and data were collected and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Of the 150 completed and analyzed questionnaires, the majority of respondents (80.0%) were between 16 and 45 years old. The study found that 58.4% of participants indicated vaccine hesitancy, with skepticism about the vaccine's fast production/rollout and fear of vaccine side effects being the most common reasons for hesitation. Respondents' age, religion, and category were significant factors influencing vaccine acceptance and hesitancy (P < 0.05). The university community has a high level of awareness of COVID-19 but low vaccine acceptance, resulting in high levels of vaccine hesitancy. The study recommends that policymakers and public health officials should prioritize testing and vaccination for job categories with higher risk of exposure to COVID-19. They should provide accurate information about COVID-19 testing and vaccination and implement workplace-based testing and vaccination programs. These interventions can help to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccination uptake among the university community and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

In the past decade, it has been reported that water quality of rivers are deteriorating increasingly. In this study we examined the state of River Ossiomo to assess the current health of the river for a period of 24 months from April 2019 to March 2020, then July 2020 to May 2021 in three well marked out stations. The study was to determine the relationship between environmental variables and fish species assemblage in the river. From the results of the physico-chemical variables, the mean values of pollution indicating physico-chemical variables such as sulphate (1.26+0.32mg/l) and total suspended solids (TSS) (5.53+1.89mg/l) were higher in station 2. On the other hand, pH (5.94+0.48), DO (8.64+1.57mg/l), turbidity (7.48+7.63NTU), TDS (29.64+14.65mg/l) and phosphate (0.43+0.31mg/l) mean values were highest in station 1. Conductivity (70.87+26.42µS/cm) and nitrate (0.49+0.34mg/l) mean values were highest in station 3. Further, dissolved oxygen (DO) was higher in station 1, the reference station. The analysis of variance (ANOVA), we performed for the physico-chemical variables revealed that temperature, conductivity, DO, total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, TSS, sulphate, phosphate and nitrate were significantly different among the three stations sampled (P<0.05), while pH, BOD and turbidity were not significant among the three stations sampled (P>0.05). The result of the principal component analysis showed that conductivity was positively associated with station 3, and temperature, TDS and alkalinity were negatively associated with stations 1 and 2. A total of 2,324 fish individuals belonging to 29 taxa were recorded in the entire study period. Station 1 harbours more fish species (1018), followed by station 2 (809), and we recorded the lowest number of fish individuals in station 3 (497). Auchenoglanis occidentalis was the most preponderant fish species probably occasioned by its level of adaptation to prevailing environmental conditions in the study river. The least abundant fish species was Synodontis eupterus.The canonical correspondence analysis we used in visualizing the relationship between fish species and physico-chemical variables showed that fish taxa such as Distichodus brevipinni, Cteropoma kinsleyae, Tilapia zillii, Malapterarus electricus, Mormyrus engystoma, and Synodontis  nigita that were positively associated with pollution indicating physico-chemical variables were suggested as indicators for monitoring riverine health in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. We recommend that more detailed studies should be carried out in River Ossiomo to confirm this result. However, this study serves as a baseline study in the present study area.