The Modulatory Activity of Justicia carnea in Plasmodium Infected Mice

The study investigated the antiplasmodial potency of Justicia carnea in plasmodium infected mice. The aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea was subjected to phytochemical screening using GC-FID. The suppressive, prophylactic and curative activity of the studied plant was accessed after oral administration of standard drugs (5mgkg-1 choroquine and 4mgkg-1 artesunate) and 400-800mgkg-1 of the extract. The effect of the aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant was also explored in the activities of liver enzymes, oxidative stress markers and hematological indices of plasmodium infected mice using spectrophotomertic methods and a hematology auto analyzer (BC 5300 Mindray England) respectively. The aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea showed considerable dose dependent antiplasmodial activity in the suppressive, prophylactic and curative test conducted. The suppressive activity of (92%) of the aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant at 800mgkg-1 was comparable to the standard drugs used while the mean survival time of plasmodium infected mice at 800mgkg-1 was beyond the mean survival time of the infected untreated group. The aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant also exhibited significant improvements in the activities of liver enzymes, oxidative stress markers and some hematological parameters at 800mgkg-1 of the extract when compared with the infected and untreated group. The results of the study exhibited the antiplasmodial activity of the studied plant, nonetheless, the crude extracts of the studied plant can be further purified for synergistic use with other potent antimalarial drugs to combat and achieve total clearance of plasmodium resistant infections

The influence of stocking density on the growth performance and production of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in earthen pond

An experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of stocking density on the growth of the initial stocked tilapia (O.niloticus) in earthen ponds, the effect on the reproductive performance of the fish and impact on the economy of production. Six African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC), Aluu, Port Harcourt earthen genetic ponds split into three compartments representing three replicates were stocked with 666 fingerlings of 4.33g average initial weight and 6.06cm average initial length at 37 per replicate. They were fed with a 28%CP blood meal based diet for nine months. The size of the ponds and depth of water was such as to attain average stocking densities of 6.33, 6.45, 5.05, 3.60, 2.88 and 2.05 fish/m3. The result showed distinct increase in growth as the stocking densities decreased. Ponds 5,6 and 4 with lower densities 2.88, 2.05 and 3.60 fish/m3 having higher final weights of 146.10, 120.79 and 108.69g than ponds 3, 2 and 1 with 85.37, 74.36 and 59.68g respectively (P<0.05). Average final length was higher in ponds 5, 6 and 4 at 14.46, 13.86 and 13.79cm than ponds 3, 2 and 1 with 12.09, 10.62 and 11.36cm. Relative weight gain followed suit with 3274.13, 2689.61 and 2410.16% in ponds 5, 6 and 4 as against 1871.59, 1617.32 and 1277.83% in 3, 2 and 1. Percentage survival increased as stocking density decreased at 28.18, 35.45, 37.27, 40.91, 41.82 and 45.45% for the 6.33, 6.45, 5.05 , 3.60, 2.05 and 2.88 fish/m3 treatment respectively, with the 3.60, 2.05 and 2.88fish/m3 treatment significantly higher (P<0.05). The 2.88fish/m3treatment (treatment 5) also provided the cheapest cost of producing 1kg of fish at N178.74 as against N457.14, N351.44, N312.41, N242.81 and N217.25 per kg fish of treatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 respectively. The total number of off-springs produced all in progressive sizes increased as the stocking density decreased at 1530, 1636, 1674, 2053, 3160 and 3234 for ponds 1-6. The experiment showed that tilapia fingerlings stocked in earthen pond at low densities grow and reproduce more and at a lower cost of production than those with higher stocking densities. The ideal appears to be between 2 and 3 fish/m

A Model for Predicting Elemental Sulphur Induced Permeability Damage in a Fractured Sour Gas Reservoir

The complexity and damages that result from the precipitation and deposition of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the sour gas reservoirs constitute challenges during modeling of gas production and transportation from such reservoirs. During production from a fractured gas reservoir with high H2S saturation, a continuous drop in the pressure is experienced within the formation. The change in pressure generally leads to a decline in the sulphur solubility and precipitation when it reaches its critical saturation state. Sulphur deposition in the pore spaces and throats of the formation rock eventually leads to porosity and permeability damage. It becomes paramount to have a model that depicts what happens in the formation throughout the life of the reservoir and to show the damage trend of the formation as the production time increases. In this current study, Robert's Sulphur deposition model was modified to account for non-darcy flow and fracture properties in the near-wellbore region. The results show that a decrease in fracture aperture lead to a decrease in the formation permeability. It also shows that higher production rate leads to increase in rate of sulphur deposition, and conclusively fracture aperture has a severe influence on the permeability of the formation as damage done in such reservoirs due to sulphur precipitation are more severe. It is advisable to maintain pressure above the critical pressure at which sulphur precipitation is activated, in order to maximize production and not to induce additional pressure drop caused by sulphur plugging on flow conduits

创新教学报告2015 —探索教学、学习与评价的新形式 [Innovating Pedagogy 2015]

本报告提出了在教学应用方面呈现端倪的“十大创新教学法”，包括跨界学习、论证学习、随机 学习、基于情境的学习、计算思维、利用远程实验室在科学实验中学习、具身学习、适应性教学、情绪分析 和隐性评价，预期这些方法有可能在教育实践中，尤其是在学校后继续教育中引发重大变革

Iodine Status of School-Aged Children in Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State

Objective: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of iodine deficiency of school aged children in Urue Offong Oruko local government area of Akwa Ibom State using recommended quantifiable indicators. Subject and Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 1800 school children aged 6-9 years in Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government area of Akwa Ibom State in January, 2011. The children were selected through simple random sampling technique. The prevalence of goitre was assessed clinically using the standard palpation method. Urinary iodine excretion (UIE) levels of 300 study subjects, selected through systematic random sampling, were analyzed by the wet digestion method to determine urinary level of iodine. Results: A total goitre rate of 8.3% was found with no ignificant gender difference (p>0.05). The median UIE was 187.5μg/L. About 67% of the population had UIE value consistent with adequate intake (UIE>100μg/L) while 13% had a UIE value less than 50 μg/L. Iodine content of 900 salt samples tested with spot-testing kit revealed 96.1% with adequate iodine content of ≥15 ppm. Conclusion: The finding of 8.3% of total goitre rate but with no evidence of current iodine deficiency (median UIE 187.5 μg/L) indicates that the Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government is in the transition phase from iodinedeficient to iodine-sufficient. Key words: Iodine status, Goiter, Urinary iodine, IDD, School- aged childre

Prospects of chemically deposited CoS-CU2S coatings for solar control applications

Good quality thin films of Cu2S were successfully deposited on CoS-precoated glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition process using triethanolamine (TEA) and aqueous ammonia NH3(aq) as complexing agents and Copper II nitrate and thiourea as precursors. The thin films of Cu2S deposited on CoS-precoated glass substrates from chemical baths and annealed at 100oC were found to have desirable solar control characteristics superior to commercial tinted glass and magnetron sputtered multilayer metallic solar control coatings. These include: transmission spectra in the visible region similar to photopic vision spectra, with an integrated transmittance in the range of about 23-28% and an integrated reflectance of about 10-15%, coupled with a range of colours in transmitted and reflected daylight. Moreover, the coating of the glass substrates with a thin layer of CoS prior to Cu2S film deposition was found to improve the mechanical stability of the Cu2S thin films, offering the choice of different shades of colours for the same integrated transmittance in the visible region in solar control applications. The possibility therefore exists for multiple-dip deposition of Cu2S films to enhance the film thickness, enabling the realisation of solar absorber coatings. Key words: CoS – Cu2S Thin Films, Solar Control Coatings, Chemical Deposition (Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2003 9(4): 591-598

Effects of 12-hour wetting of sun-dried cassava tuber meal on its HCN content, performance and hematological indices of broiler chicks

The efficacy of wetting sun-dried cassava tuber meal as a method of reducing its hydrocyanide (HCN) content and improving its nutritive value for broilers was investigated. Cassava tubers were peeled, chopped into pieces, sun-dried and then milled. Part of the sun-dried cassava tuber meal was soaked in water at the rate of 5 parts of water to 4 parts of the meal, thinly spread on the floor for 12 hours and then taken out and spread by the side of the tarred road and sun-dried again. The raw cassava tuber meal (RCTM), sun-dried cassava tuber meal (SCTM) and wetted sun-dried cassava tuber meal (WSCTM) were analyzed for cyanide content. Five diets were made, such that diet 1 (control) contained no cassava tuber meal; in diets 2 and 3, 75% of the maize in diet I was replaced with SCTM and WSCTM, respectively, while in diets 4 and 5, 100% of the maize was replaced with SCTM and WSCTM, respectively. Each diet was fed to a group of 30 one-week old broiler chicks for 4 weeks. Thereafter, the diets were adjusted to finisher form and fed for another 5 weeks. Blood was collected from the birds at the end of the feeding trial and hematological constituents determined. RCTM contained 800 ppm HCN, SCTM contained 50 ppm and WSCTM contained 10 ppm. At 100% replacement of dietary maize with SCTM, growth performance of the birds was significantly (

Hyperthyroidism in a complete molar pregnancy with a mature cystic ovarian teratoma

Abstract Background The hallmark of gestational trophoblastic disease is the production of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) due to the hyperproliferation of extraembryonic trophoblast cells. Previous studies show hCG has thyrotropic action due to its structural similarity with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) molecules. Germ cell tumors represent 15–20% of all ovarian tumors and can be malignant or benign. Case presentation We present a case of a 53-year old African American female with a history of hyperthyroidism secondary to a complete hydatidiform mole and an associated finding of a mature cystic ovarian teratoma. She presented with nausea, vomiting, nervousness, weight gain, abdominal pain and a b-hCG of greater than 450,000mIU/mL. A total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed and curative for her symptoms. Lung nodules were noted with slight increases in b-hCG levels in the months following the surgery. Propranolol and methimazole were used to treat the acute hyperthyroid symptoms. Conclusion This case presents the rare occurrence of a complete hydatidiform mole causing hyperthyroidism and an associated finding of a mature cystic teratoma. It also highlights the importance of monitoring b-hCG levels following a complete molar pregnancy due to an increased risk of choriocarcinoma

Sizing up information and communication technologies as agents of political development in sub-Saharan Africa

It is widely speculated that the emergence of modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) will boost political development in the developing world. This expectation anchors on solid foundation since, presumably, the ICT revolution would radically alter access to information, dislodge entrenched social cleavages, and unleash new patterns of citizen consciousness and civic engagement by hitherto marginalized mass publics, and orchestrate new and decisive political equilibriums. This research provides an empirical assessment of the impact of ICTs on political development in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis suggests that speculation about the potential for ICTS to enhance political development in the sub-Sahara is not unrealistic. The levels of phone, computer, and Internet diffusion are associated with political development, although only the effect of the phone remains once other variables are specified. The phone is the most robust of all individual factors explaining variations in political development. However, the effect of ICTs on political development can neither be certified as revolutionary, nor can they be codified as panacea.Sub-Saharan Africa ICTs Political development Social networks Developing countries Communication technologies African development