Lithofacies and paleo depositional environment of the rocks of Nkpuma-Akpatakpa, Izzi, Southeast Nigeria

A detailed geological investigation of Nkpuma-akpatakpa, Izzi, Southeast Nigeria, done on a map scale of 1: 25,000, showed its lithofacies as brown shales, dark-grey shales, mudstones, siltstones and limestones. These lithofacies have been organized into two main lithostratigraphic units namely, brown shales (Unit A) and dark-grey shales (unit B). The brown colour of shales (unit A) suggests high content of ferric oxide due to intense weathering and low metamorphism caused by volcanism in the area. The dark colour of shale (unit B) suggests deposition in anoxic or reducing environment. Its dark-grey colour and the presence of bivalves suggest deposition in a low energy, marine environment. The abundance of illite which increases with depth indicates deeply buried shale not less than 3,500 m below surface. The presence of shelly limestone indicates shallow, warm, silt-free and clean marine environment. The intact shells of bivalves suggest deposition in a low energy protected shoreline where wave action is limited. Sedimentary structures like fissility and laminations, also suggest deposition in low energy marine setting. Pyroclastic rocks mapped in the area have been interpreted as volcanic tuffs and agglomerates interstratified with the shales.Key words: Lithofacies, depositional environment, rocks, Nkpuma-akpatakpa, Izzi

Petrography And Mode Of Formation Of The Oolitic Ironstone Beds In The Campano-Maastrichtian Nkporo Formation In Leru, Southeastern Nigeria

The dark grey to black Nkporo Formation (Campanian – Maastrichtian) exposed in Leru area, southeastern Nigeria, contains several interbeds of oolitic ironstone in the upper parts. The ironstone consists of calcareous groundmass with pockets of unevenly distributed ferriferous ooids. The ooliths are “egg”- shaped and vary between 0.50 mm and 1.50 mm in diameter. From thin section studies, the oolitic ironstones are comprised of framework grains of chamosite ooliths in siderite cement and secondary limonite. The spheroidal shapes, absence of radial shrinkage fractures, lack of relict textures, and clean and clear, near-perfect cortices are indices of primary precipitation of the ooliths on the sea floor. The poor winnowing and presence of intact shell fragments indicate their deposition in a low energy environment. Concentric chamosite accretion on the nuclei developed while the nuclei were under low hydrodynamic turbulence on the sediment-water interface. Keywords: Petrography, Chamosite ooliths, Oolitic Ironstone, Primary precipitation, Diagenetic replacementGlobal Journal of Geological Sciences Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 57-6

Assessment of Water Supply Quality in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

The patronage of water of questionable qualities in the study area due to the failure of the Anambra State Water Corporation to provide potable water supply in Awka and environs prompted this research work. Various water sources patronized in the study area were collected and subjected to physical, chemical and microbial analysis to determine their pollution/contamination status. The work revealed that the surface and borehole/well Water sources are microbiologically polluted. Ca+2 and Mg+2 levels in water samples were high, this results to hard water. Fe+2 concentrations in the water samples ranged from 1.20-5.00 mg/l. 100% of samples exceeded the MPL of 0.3mg/l, low pH favours oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron, giving an objectionable reddish-brown colour to the water. Iron also promotes the growth of “iron bacteria”. Aggressive public awareness of the pollution status, routine check of the water quality and increased sanitary conditions in the study area in order to ameliorate this problem were recommended.Keywords: Patronage, Contamination, Aggressive, Water Quality

Assessment of Water Supply Quality in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

The patronage of water of questionable qualities in the study area due to the failure of the Anambra State Water Corporation to provide potable water supply in Awka and environs prompted this research work. Various water sources patronized in the study area were collected and subjected to physical, chemical and microbial analysis to determine their pollution/contamination status. The work revealed that the surface and borehole/well Water sources are microbiologically polluted. Ca+2 and Mg+2 levels in water samples were high, this results to hard water. Fe+2 concentrations in the water samples ranged from 1.20-5.00 mg/l. 100% of samples exceeded the MPL of 0.3mg/l, low pH favours oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron, giving an objectionable reddish-brown colour to the water. Iron also promotes the growth of “iron bacteria”. Aggressive public awareness of the pollution status, routine check of the water quality and increased sanitary conditions in the study area in order to ameliorate this problem were recommended.Keywords: Patronage, Contamination, Aggressive, Water Quality

Naucline, a New Indole Alkaloid from the Bark of Nauclea officinalis

A new indole alkaloid, naucline (1) together with four known alkaloids, angustine (2), angustidine (3), nauclefine (4) and naucletine (5), were isolated from the bark of Nauclea officinalis. The structures of all isolated compounds were elucidated with various spectroscopic methods such as 1D- and 2D- NMR, IR, UV and LCMS-IT-TOF. In addition to that of alkaloid 1, the complete 13C-NMR data of naucletine (5) were also reported. Naucline (1) showed a moderate vasorelaxant activity (90% relaxation at 1 × 10−5 M) whereas, angustine (2), nauclefine (4), and naucletine (5) showed potent vasorelaxant activity (more than 90% relaxation at 1 × 10−5 M) on an isolated rat aorta

Malaria Parasite Infection Compromises Control of Concurrent Systemic Non-typhoidal Salmonella Infection via IL-10-Mediated Alteration of Myeloid Cell Function

Non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes (NTS) cause a self-limited gastroenteritis in immunocompetent individuals, while children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria can develop a life-threatening disseminated infection. This co-infection is a major source of child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the mechanisms by which malaria contributes to increased risk of NTS bacteremia are incompletely understood. Here, we report that in a mouse co-infection model, malaria parasite infection blunts inflammatory responses to NTS, leading to decreased inflammatory pathology and increased systemic bacterial colonization. Blunting of NTS-induced inflammatory responses required induction of IL-10 by the parasites. In the absence of malaria parasite infection, administration of recombinant IL-10 together with induction of anemia had an additive effect on systemic bacterial colonization. Mice that were conditionally deficient for either myeloid cell IL-10 production or myeloid cell expression of IL-10 receptor were better able to control systemic Salmonella infection, suggesting that phagocytic cells are both producers and targets of malaria parasite-induced IL-10. Thus, IL-10 produced during the immune response to malaria increases susceptibility to disseminated NTS infection by suppressing the ability of myeloid cells, most likely macrophages, to control bacterial infection