EFFECTS OF RICE HUSK BIOCHAR ON THE GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS, RHIZOSPHERIC MICROFLORA AND YIELD OF TOMATO PLANTS

Human activities have degenerated nearly 40% of the universe soil through excessive chemical inputs, tilling and industrial activities. Biochar can increase soil fecundity, agricultural producti- vity and protects soil-borne diseases. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of rice husk biochar on the growth and yield of tomato plants. Biochar was produced through feedstock (rice-husk) pyrolysis and used as soil amendments at different concentrations (20 t/ha and 40 t/ha) and an unamend soil served as control. Physicochemical properties of the soil, rice husk, biochar and biochar soil before and after planting were determined using standard methods. Rhizospheric microflora of the plants were isolated and identified based on morphological and biochemical characterizations. Agronomic parameters such as plant height, stem girth, leaf area, number of leaves, flowers, fruits and weight of fruits were determined. Results revealed that rice husk biochar (40 t/ha) had the highest physical and chemical parameters while the unamend soil had the lowest constituents. Predominant bacterium and fungus are Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger. Agronomic parameters: plant heights, stem girths, leaf areas, number of leaves, flowers, fruits and weight of fruits were higher in all the amended soil than the control at the various growth stages. The unamend soil yielded no fruit at 10th week while the amended soil yielded an average fruit weight of 34.95g ± 8.76 and 21.53g ± 5.16 at 20 t/ha and 40 t/ha respectively. This study revealed that biochar produced from rice husk could be used to improve growth and yield of tomato plants.   &nbsp

STABILITY OF BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCED BY PSEUDOMONAS TAENENSIS

Biosurfactants are one of the microbial bioproducts that are naturally synthesized and are applicable for many industrial purposes. In this study, antibacterial, stability and antibiotic susceptibility of biosurfactant was evaluated. Biosurfactants produced from different substrates (groundnut cake, cassava flour waste, pome, cooking oil, engine oil, cassava waste water, molasses, cassava peel, potato) by Pseudomonas taenensis were evaluated for antibacterial activity using agar well diffusion method. Antibiotics susceptibility of Pseudomonas taenensis was carried out using different antibiotics (augmentin, ofloxacin, tetracyclin and ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, pefloxacin, amoxylin, ceftriazone, nitrofuranton and gentamycin). The stability of the biosurfactant was evaluated by adjusting the biosurfactant to: pH (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12) using 1M NaOH and 1M HCl, temperature (4, 30, 37, 55, 75 and 100 °C) and NaCl (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 %). Results showed that only biosurfactant produced using cassava waste water as substrate was sensitive to Escherichia coli while biosurfactant produced using cassava flour waste, pome and molasses were sensitive to Staphylococcus aureus. Biosurfactant-producing isolate (Pseudomonas taenensis) was sensitive to four antibiotics (augmentin, ofloxacin, tetracyclin and ciprofloxacin) and resistant to six antibiotics (cotrimoxazole, pefloxacin, amoxylin, ceftriazone, nitrofuranton and gentamycin). Biosurfactant was stable over all the wide ranges of pH, temperature and sodium chloride concentrations investigated. This study therefore revealed that biosurfactant have good stability, thus, could survive environmental stress; Not all biosurfactant and biosurfactant producers have antimicrobial and antibiotic property.   &nbsp

Potential Biosurfactant-producing Bacteria from Pharmaceutical Wastewater using Simple Screening Methods in South-West, Nigeria

Emerging multiple opportunities for industrial production and environmental applications have focused increasing research attention on biosurfactants in recent years. Hydrocarbon-polluted soils have proved a major source of biosurfactant-producing bacteria. In this study an alternative method of producing biosurfactants was established, based on pharmaceutical effluents. Pharmaceutical effluents are a rich source of complex organic compounds with potential as a substrate for microbial biosurfactant production. A successful biosurfactant screening assay is achieved when a combination of different methods are employed. Biosurfactant producing bacteria were isolated from pharmaceutical effluent and identified by biochemical methods. The best biosurfactant producer was identified by a molecular method. The biosurfactant screening techniques employed were drop collapse assay, haemolytic assay, oil spreading assay, bacteria adhesion to hydrocarbon assay and emulsification assay. Analysis of haemolytic activity indicated that 35 isolates (44.30 %) produced beta-haemolysis, 12 isolates (15.19 %) produced gamma-haemolysis, while 32 isolates (40.51 %) produced alpha-haemolysis. The highest zone of clearance was 42.0±1.73 by isolate DF7 and lowest zone of clearance was obtained from isolate GC5 of 12.0±0.73. Screening of the 35 isolates using the oil spreading test showed that 28 isolates (80.0 %) were positive, while 7 isolates (20.0 %) were negative. The highest zone of clearance for the oil in water was 19.0±0.1 by DF1 while the lowest zone was 4.3±0.33 by MB3. The drop collapse test revealed that 22 isolates (78.57 %) were positive and 6 isolates (21.43 %) were negative. At 0 h, the highest emulsification percentage was 74.4 % by Bacillus licheniformis and the lowest was 42.5 % by Arthrobacter globiformis. After 24h, the highest emulsification value (69.23 %) was obtained for Bacillus clausis, while the lowest value (30.84 %) was obtained for Arthrobacter globiformis. The findings demonstrated the ability of the isolates to produce biosurfactant, and confirmed the capacity of Bacillus clausis isolated from pharmaceutical effluents as a potential bacteria for biosurfactant production

Characterization of biosurfactant-producing bacterial strains isolated from agro-industrial wastes in southwestern, Nigeria

Introduction. The difficulty of managing trash and cleaning up the environment prompted interest in biosurfactants and surface-active proteins made by microbes. The study aims to augment bacterial isolates from agro-industrial wastes targeted for possible mass production of biosurfactants. Methods. Six agro-industrial wastes from Cassava, Palm kernel, and Sawdust from six agro-industrial sites within Ijebu area in Ogun State were collected for standard laboratory analyses in the Biotechnology Unit of the Federal Industrial Institute for Research, Oshodi (FIIRO). Five screening methods; blood hemolysis, lipase activity, blue agar hydrolysis, oil spreading, and emulsification index (EI24) were carried out to confirm biosurfactant production. Isolates with the highest hyper-production were subjected to 16rRNA molecular identification. Results. The study justified efficient biosurfactant production from 4 bacterial isolates out of 26 screened bacterial isolates from hydrocarbon degraders and 29 heterotrophic screened bacterial isolates, making a total of 55 screened bacterial isolates. Screening results reveal the emulsification capacities of identified Pseudomonas putida strain SG1, Acinetobacter baumanii strain MS14413, Bacillus zhangzhouensis strain cdsV18, and Burkholderia cepacia strain 717. Conclusion. Biosurfactant bacteria produced in all agricultural and industrial wastes considered in this study are capable of mass production.

Quality Assessment of Selected Public Recreational Waters in Sango-Ota Metropolis, Nigeria

The evaluation of selected public swimming pools within Sango-Ota metropolis was done to determine whether the pools adapt to the recommended WHO standard for swimming pool water. Six pools were selected based on the average population per use and user ratings. A total of 12 water samples were analysed physicochemical and microbial qualities using standard methods. The  physicochemical characterization results are as follows; pH, 5.00 - 5.73 with mean value of 5.3; Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), 44.00 - 48.50 mg/L with mean 46.0 mg/L; Alkalinity, 24.00 - 28.50 mg/L with mean 26.0 mg/L; total hardness, 0.80 - 1.23 mg/L with mean 1.0 mg/L; iron, 0.05 – 0.69 mg/L with mean 0.3 mg/L; residual chlorine, 1.06 – 3.25 mg/L with mean 1.9 mg/L. The microbial characterization results are as follows; Zero count for Salmonella-shigella; Total Aerobic Plate Count (TAPC),1360 - 7270 cfu/mL; Escherichia coli count, 0 - 7 cfu/mL; coliform count, 2 – 25 cfu/mL.  The isolated microorganisms from the pools were Escherichia coli, Proteus Vulgaris, Yersinia Enterocolitica, Proteus Mirabilis, Citrobacter Freundi and Vibro Chlorea occurred in 8.33%, respectively while Klebsiella Pneumonia, Entrobacter Aerogenes, Pseudonomas sp. occurred 16.67%. The pH of the analysed pools didn’t comply with the WHO standards while other physicochemical parameters conform to the standard except for pools C and F which had a higher concentration of iron. However, the existence of pathogenic microorganisms in the pools classified them as unsafe for swimming activities. This study recommends routine testing and comprehensive treatments with respect to regulatory standards.  Pool managers should strictly adhere to the bathing load limit and ensure the pool users take shower before using the swimming pools to forestall the outbreak of waterborne disease

The safety of Kigelia africana on pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes in Sprague-Dawley rats

Background: Kigelia africana, belongs to the family of Bignoniaceae. It has been used commonly in folk medicine to energise and improve fertility in both males and females. Decoctions of Kigelia africana are taken as abortifacients. Therefore, there is need to scientifically substantiate and validate these claims. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the effect of Kigelia africana on pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes in Sprague-Dawley rats. Methodology: Twenty female adult Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 4 groups (N=5) were used. Rats were mated on proestrus with males of proven fertility. Spermatocytes in the vaginal smear confirmed pregnancy. Kigelia africana was given at 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg bodyweight daily from the 1st to 20th day of pregnancy while control rats received distilled water. Rats were anaesthetized with ketamine on day 20 of pregnancy and a ventral laparotomy was performed. Foetuses were removed and parameters taken. The uterus was excised and assayed for antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde, an index of lipid peroxidation. Result: Significant increases were observed in crown-rump length, tail length and litter size.  Superoxide dismutase activities increased significantly while significant reductions were recorded in malondialdehyde levels. In addition, uterine weights increased in the treated groups compared with the control. Conclusion: Kigelia africana is uterothrophic and is safe with no deleterious effect on pregnancy and the foetuses in Sprague-Dawley rats. Keywords: Kigelia africana, pregnancy, malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase

Assessment of mortality rate in tuberculosis / human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected patient

Prior to the discovery of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the pattern of tuberculosis (TB) prevalence witnessed a gradual drawdown and the mode of presentation was usually pulmonary. This study assesses the mortality rates of TB and HIV co-infected patients in a directly observed therapy (DOT) centre in Nigeria. The retrospective study retrieved 18 months of data from 197 patients on the TB register of a centralized DOT centre in the Ogun State, Nigeria. Data collected included age, sex, and HIV status, with TB results obtained from Genexpert. The data obtained from 197 TB patients were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square. Out of the 197 TB patients, 67.0% were males and 33.0% were females. A majority of the patients (41.6%) were within the age category of 43 years and above. This was followed by 35 – 42 years (25.4%) and 27 – 34 years (19.8%), while the lowest proportion of patients (0.5%) falls within the age brackets of 3 - 10 years. Furthermore, 92.9% of the patients were HIV negative. Using Chi-squared test, no significant difference was seen in TB occurrence to sex (p>0.05) while age contribute significantly to mortality. Co-infection of HIV/TB was 7.1% while mortality rate in this group was 28.6%. as observed in the age group 43 and above. Overall, the mortality rate in the TB patients was 2.0%. Results showed that the age was a significant contributor (p<0.05) to HIV TB co-infection among the patients. Age regressed positively with TB infection in the study population. The study concludes that the co-infection of TB and HIV was significantly associated with high mortality

The Diffusion of Inclusion: An Open Polity Model of Ethnic Power Sharing

While there is a growing consensus that ethnic inclusion produces peace, less is known about what causes transitions to power sharing between ethnic groups in central governments in multiethnic states. The few studies that have addressed this question have proposed explanations stressing exclusively domestic factors. Yet, power sharing is spatially clustered, which suggests that diffusion may be at play. Inspired by studies of democratic diffusion, we study the spread of inclusive policies with an “open polity model” that explicitly traces diffusion from inclusion in other states. Our findings indicate that the relevant diffusion processes operate primarily at the level of world regions rather than globally or between territorial neighbors. Thus, the more inclusive the region, the more likely a shift to power sharing becomes. Shifts away from inclusion to dominance are less common since World War II, but they are more likely in regional settings characterized by ethnic exclusion

Novel functional insights into ischemic stroke biology provided by the first genome-wide association study of stroke in indigenous Africans

\ua9 The Author(s) 2024. Background: African ancestry populations have the highest burden of stroke worldwide, yet the genetic basis of stroke in these populations is obscure. The Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is a multicenter study involving 16 sites in West Africa. We conducted the first-ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) of stroke in indigenous Africans. Methods: Cases were consecutively recruited consenting adults (aged &gt; 18 years) with neuroimaging-confirmed ischemic stroke. Stroke-free controls were ascertained using a locally validated Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke-Free Status. DNA genotyping with the H3Africa array was performed, and following initial quality control, GWAS datasets were imputed into the NIH Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) release2 from BioData Catalyst. Furthermore, we performed fine-mapping, trans-ethnic meta-analysis, and in silico functional characterization to identify likely causal variants with a functional interpretation. Results: We observed genome-wide significant (P-value &lt; 5.0E−8) SNPs associations near AADACL2 and miRNA (MIR5186) genes in chromosome 3 after adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cardiac status in the base model as covariates. SNPs near the miRNA (MIR4458) gene in chromosome 5 were also associated with stroke (P-value &lt; 1.0E−6). The putative genes near AADACL2, MIR5186, and MIR4458 genes were protective and novel. SNPs associations with stroke in chromosome 2 were more than 77 kb from the closest gene LINC01854 and SNPs in chromosome 7 were more than 116 kb to the closest gene LINC01446 (P-value &lt; 1.0E−6). In addition, we observed SNPs in genes STXBP5-AS1 (chromosome 6), GALTN9 (chromosome 12), FANCA (chromosome 16), and DLGAP1 (chromosome 18) (P-value &lt; 1.0E−6). Both genomic regions near genes AADACL2 and MIR4458 remained significant following fine mapping. Conclusions: Our findings identify potential roles of regulatory miRNA, intergenic non-coding DNA, and intronic non-coding RNA in the biology of ischemic stroke. These findings reveal new molecular targets that promise to help close the current gaps in accurate African ancestry-based genetic stroke’s risk prediction and development of new targeted interventions to prevent or treat stroke