Preparation of Dye Using Selected Local Materials

Many plant species in Ogbomoso area of Oyo Stale. Nigeria produce juice that can permanently stick to clothing materials. A few of such plants were selected, namely Kola nitida. Cmelina arhorca. Prosopis africana. Tcctona grandis. Pteleopsis habeensis. Khaya scnegalensis. Azanza garkeana andLamea liumilis. Juice from these plants were extracted and found to be useful dye agents for fabrics such as calico. Dyeing with Pteleopsis habeensis produced a peach-coloured fabric; Khaya scnegalensis gave a pinecolouredfabric while a combination of the juices of Pteleopsis habeensis and Kola nitida gave an Ivorycoloured fabric. These locally available dyes, if improved upon would be a basis for the development of a dye-producing industry, small or large scale that may also assist in alleviating poverty in Nigeria

Methods of Conflict Resolution in African Traditional Society

This study examined the patterns or mechanism for conflict resolution in traditional African societies with particular reference to Yoruba and Igbo societies in Nigeria and Pondo tribe in South Africa. The paper notes that conflict resolution in traditional African societies provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, it promotes consensus-building, social bridge reconstructions and enactment of order in the society. The paper submits further that the western world placed more emphasis on the judicial system presided over by council of elders, kings’ courts, peoples (open place) assemblies, etc; for dispute settlement and justice  dispensation. It concludes that traditional conflict resolution techniques such as mediation, adjudication, reconciliation, and negotiation as well ascross examination which were employed by Africans in the past, offer great prospects for peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationships in post-conflict periods than the modern method of litigation settlements in law courts.Key words: African Conflict, Mediation, Reconciliation, Adjudication, Negotiation, et

Inter-annual trends of heavy metals in marine resources from the Nigerian territorial waters

In an attempt to monitor and assess the pollution status of marine resources in the Nigerian territorial waters, this study was carried out to reveal the levels and inter-annual trend of heavy metals in marine resources from the Lagos lagoon marine ecosystem. Studies were carried out annually in the month of July between 2007 and 2009; and the observed levels and trends are herein reported and discussed. Drastic shoot up was observed in year 2009 at all locations in the levels of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd in surface water, with maximum values of 0.62, 1.14, 0.07, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.09 mg/L, respectively reported at the near shore locations. The maximum values recorded in year 2007 for Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd in bottom sediments were 11533, 76.57, 16.23, 38.3, 41.29, and 0.94 mg/kg respectively. This study revealed a general inter-annual trends of 2009 > 2008 > 2007. This trend is alarming and it is of great concern considering the associated health and economic implications.Key words: Gulf of Guinea, heavy metals, pollution, coastal water, seafood, human health, marine ecosystem

Collection and marketing of Bitter Cola (Garcinia kola) in Nkwerre Local Government area, Imo State, Nigeria

The study was carried out to assess the collection and marketing of bitter cola in Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State Nigeria, with a general objective of determining the profitability and the constraints of bitter cola trade in the area. A total of one hundred and ten respondents were randomly selected from five rural communities. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and personal interview. Most of the collectors were males. Net profit of N200,157.00k (about 930K euros) was recorded from sales of bitter cola by the respondents. The amount of cola collected per year was positively related to marital status, age, distance and cost of bitter cola; age and labour costs were also significant predictors. Constraints encountered by collectors and marketers include rot and decay during storage (99%), poor storage facilities (97%), pest and diseases (88.2%) and labour costs (68.2%). Recommendations based on the findings include providing financial resources in form of loans, grants or incentives in order to boost bitter cola production, increase income and reduce poverty. Research in the area of domestication, plantation establishment, preservation and storage of the seeds need to be encouraged.Keywords: Net profit, production constraints, household incom

Incidence and Determinants of Stillbirth amongst Parturients in Two Hospitals in Southern Nigeria

Background: Fetal death is a major but often overlooked public health issue. Aim: Knowledge of the causes and risk factors will help in designing measures to reduce the burden of fetal death in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A 5 year descriptive study of all fetal mortality of >28 weeks in Southern Nigeria. Relevant details were extracted from the case notes and the registers in the labor ward, maternity ward, the labor ward theater and the main theater. Statistical Analysis Used: The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS PC+) and this consisted of univariate analysis and comparisons of identified relationships. Results: The total number of deliveries from 28 weeks was 25,780 and the number of parturients with fetal mortality after 28 weeks was 157 and therefore the incidence of stillbirth was 0.6% giving a mortality rate of 6.1/1000 total births. However, 148 (85%) case notes of the total fetal deaths were retrieved and formed the study sample. Socio-demographic variables such as extremes of age and parity, unbooked status, unemployment, unmarried, Isoko, Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups and primary level or no formal education were determinants of stillbirth. Others were maternal diabetes mellitus, malaria, hypertension, labor duration >4 h, instrumental or assisted vaginal delivery, gestational age at booking >12 weeks, low birth weight and preterm births. Conclusion: The fetal mortality (stillbirth) rate was low and the determinants were identified. Public health education, female education and socio-economic empowerment are suggested preventive measures.Keywords: Amongst parturients, determinants, fetal mortality, incidence, Southern Nigeria, stillbirt

Innovation as mediating factor between total quality management and competitive advantage among manufacturers

This paper is aimed to explore the role of innovation as mediating role in relationship between TQM and competitive advantage within manufacturing sector in Malaysia. Quantitative method was used to find out the answer and questionnaires have been distributed to the management level in electrical and electronic (E&E) manufacturers in Malaysia. Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) and ADANCO were the software used to analyze the data gathering from respondents. The result of analysis shown that total quality management (TQM) and innovation gave significant positive impact on competitive advantage. In addition, the innovation is mediate positively for the relationship between TQM and competitive advantage. Therefore, this research is expected to provide deep understanding regarding TQM, innovation, and competitive advantage for the manufacturing industry within Malaysia and acts as reference to future researcher

Flipping quantum coins

Coin flipping is a cryptographic primitive in which two distrustful parties wish to generate a random bit in order to choose between two alternatives. This task is impossible to realize when it relies solely on the asynchronous exchange of classical bits: one dishonest player has complete control over the final outcome. It is only when coin flipping is supplemented with quantum communication that this problem can be alleviated, although partial bias remains. Unfortunately, practical systems are subject to loss of quantum data, which restores complete or nearly complete bias in previous protocols. We report herein on the first implementation of a quantum coin-flipping protocol that is impervious to loss. Moreover, in the presence of unavoidable experimental noise, we propose to use this protocol sequentially to implement many coin flips, which guarantees that a cheater unwillingly reveals asymptotically, through an increased error rate, how many outcomes have been fixed. Hence, we demonstrate for the first time the possibility of flipping coins in a realistic setting. Flipping quantum coins thereby joins quantum key distribution as one of the few currently practical applications of quantum communication. We anticipate our findings to be useful for various cryptographic protocols and other applications, such as an online casino, in which a possibly unlimited number of coin flips has to be performed and where each player is free to decide at any time whether to continue playing or not.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure

West Nile Virus Experimental Evolution in vivo and the Trade-off Hypothesis

In nature, arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) perpetuate through alternating replication in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The trade-off hypothesis proposes that these viruses maintain adequate replicative fitness in two disparate hosts in exchange for superior fitness in one host. Releasing the virus from the constraints of a two-host cycle should thus facilitate adaptation to a single host. This theory has been addressed in a variety of systems, but remains poorly understood. We sought to determine the fitness implications of alternating host replication for West Nile virus (WNV) using an in vivo model system. Previously, WNV was serially or alternately passed 20 times in vivo in chicks or mosquitoes and resulting viruses were characterized genetically. In this study, these test viruses were competed in vivo in fitness assays against an unpassed marked reference virus. Fitness was assayed in chicks and in two important WNV vectors, Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus. Chick-specialized virus displayed clear fitness gains in chicks and in Cx. pipiens but not in Cx. quinquefasciatus. Cx. pipiens-specialized virus experienced reduced fitness in chicks and little change in either mosquito species. These data suggest that when fitness is measured in birds the trade-off hypothesis is supported; but in mosquitoes it is not. Overall, these results suggest that WNV evolution is driven by alternate cycles of genetic expansion in mosquitoes, where purifying selection is weak and genetic diversity generated, and restriction in birds, where purifying selection is strong

WNT signaling regulates self-renewal and differentiation of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics

Prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics were identified in human prostate cancer cell lines by their ability to form from single cells self-renewing prostaspheres in non-adherent cultures. Prostaspheres exhibited heterogeneous expression of proliferation, differentiation and stem cell-associated makers CD44, ABCG2 and CD133. Treatment with WNT inhibitors reduced both prostasphere size and self-renewal. In contrast, addition of Wnt3a caused increased prostasphere size and self-renewal, which was associated with a significant increase in nuclear Β-catenin, keratin 18, CD133 and CD44 expression. As a high proportion of LNCaP and C4-2B cancer cells express androgen receptor we determined the effect of the androgen receptor antagonist bicalutamide. Androgen receptor inhibition reduced prostasphere size and expression of PSA, but did not inhibit prostasphere formation. These effects are consistent with the androgen-independent self-renewal of cells with stem cell characteristics and the androgen-dependent proliferation of transit amplifying cells. As the canonical WNT signaling effector Β-catenin can also associate with the androgen receptor, we propose a model for tumour propagation involving a balance between WNT and androgen receptor activity. That would affect the self-renewal of a cancer cell with stem cell characteristics and drive transit amplifying cell proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, we provide evidence that WNT activity regulates the self-renewal of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics independently of androgen receptor activity. Inhibition of WNT signaling therefore has the potential to reduce the self-renewal of prostate cancer cells with stem cell characteristics and improve the therapeutic outcome.Peer reviewe

Advanced glycation endproducts and their receptor in different body compartments in COPD

© 2016 Hoonhorst et al. Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and emphysema, and is caused by exposure to noxious particles or gases, e.g. cigarette smoke. Smoking and oxidative stress lead to accelerated formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), causing local tissue damage either directly or by binding the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). This study assessed the association of AGEs or RAGE in plasma, sputum, bronchial biopsies and skin with COPD and lung function, and their variance between these body compartments. Methods: Healthy smoking and never-smoking controls (n = 191) and COPD patients (n = 97, GOLD stage I-IV) were included. Autofluorescence (SAF) was measured in the skin, AGEs (pentosidine, CML and CEL) and sRAGE in blood and sputum by ELISA, and in bronchial biopsies by immunohistochemistry. eQTL analysis was performed in bronchial biopsies. Results: COPD patients showed higher SAF values and lower plasma sRAGE levels compared to controls and these values associated with decreased lung function (p <0.001; adjusting for relevant covariates). Lower plasma sRAGE levels significantly and independently predicted higher SAF values (p < 0.001). One SNP (rs2071278) was identified within a region of 50 kB flanking the AGER gene, which was associated with the gene and protein expression levels of AGER and another SNP (rs2071278) which was associated with the accumulation of AGEs in the skin. Conclusion: In COPD, AGEs accumulate differentially in body compartments, i.e. they accumulate in the skin, but not in plasma, sputum and bronchial biopsies. The association between lower sRAGE and higher SAF levels supports the hypothesis that the protective mechanism of sRAGE as a decoy-receptor is impaired in COPD