Effects of Different Concentrations of Biocides on Fungal Populations, Isolated from Biofilms of Corroded Oil Pipelines, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Microbiologically influenced corrosion is a problem commonly encountered in facilities in the oil and gas industries. The present study described fungal enumeration and identification in biofilms of oil pipelines in Oshie flow station in Rivers State and Irri flow station in Delta State, Nigeria using traditional cultivation technique.  The fungal species isolated in biofilms from the two sites are as follows Verticillium dahlae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Penicillium corylophilum, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus paradoxus, Humicola grisae, Aureobasidium pullulans, Monilia balanitis, Hormoconis resinea, Asperillus flavus and Helimenthosporium maydis. The study also focuses on the use of three biocides to inhibit or eliminate the identified organisms in order to minimize the material and financial losses encountered by oil and gas companies, because of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). The performance of three biocides (ozone, sodium hypochlorite and formaldehyde) at the concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5% in eliminating the fungal species isolated from biofilms of oil pipelines in Rivers and Delta States, Niger Delta, Nigeria. It is shown, that formaldehyde, ozone exhibited the best biocidal characteristics and concentrations of 1 and 2 % eliminated almost all the fungal species after 72 hours of contact time. This study is relevant to the problem of microbiologically influenced corrosion as the data may contribute to elucidate which fungal species contribute to the MIC process and to gain a better understanding of the fungal community of biofilms. This study will give us better understanding of the biocide capable of eliminating fungal species in biofilm of oil and gas pipelines. Keywords: Concentration, fungal population, biocides, microbiologically influenced corrosion, biofilm

Development of Quality Standards of Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub. Stem Bark

Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub. (Mimosoidae) is the only known species of its genus found in Africa. Almost all parts of the tree are used in medicine. Remedies for skin diseases, caries, fevers and eye washes are obtained from the bark. They are used as diuretic and for the treatment of gonorrhoea, tooth and stomach-ache, dysentery and bronchitis. It is therefore considered worthwhile to establish quality standard for the stem bark. Pharmacognostic standardization was carried out on the pulverized stem bark and its anatomical section, to determine the macro and micro morphological characters, quantitative and qualitative profiles. The results of this study produced vital data that could be useful in setting some diagnostic indices for the identification and preparation of a monograph of the plant stem bark. Keywords: Prosopis africana, anatomical indices, physicochemical, morphological characters, microscopical,  macroscopica

Monetary Policy and Commercial Banks’ Performance in Nigeria

The study was carried out to examine the impact of monetary policy on commercial banks’ performance in Nigeria in a micro-panel analysis. Interest rate and money supply were used as proxies for monetary policy, while profit before tax (PBT) was used to represent commercial banks’ performance. Pooled regression, Fixed effect regression, and random effect regression were all carried out in the analysis. However, Hausman test revealed that fixed effect regression is the most appropriate. The results show that there is a positive relationship between banks’ profits and monetary policies as proxied by money supply and interest rate. However, interest rate was not statistically significant at 1% and 5% levels. This study therefore recommends that interest rate policy should be looked into by the monetary authority in a way that is friendly to loan advancement in the country. Key words: Monetary Policy, Fixed effect, Hausman test, Banks’ Profits, Nigeri

Unsafe abortion among secondary school girls in a local authority in South-South Nigeria

Background: Voluntary abortion for social reasons is illegal in Nigeria; however, the practice remains mostly clandestine and unsafe with varying consequences and determinants yet to be studied in all settings.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess the prevalence, practice and determinants of termination of pregnancy amongst 119 female Secondary School students in South-South Nigeria.Results: The prevalence of abortion was 57.1%. Most of the students were above 18years (58.8%), Christian (95.8%) and of rural residence (66.4%). While 58.8% had experienced an unwanted pregnancy, 61.4% had used some form of contraceptive with condom being the commonest (39.5%). Most (89.1%) have heard of abortions while 67.6% and 16.2% have had abortions once and twice respectively with the top reasons for abortion being that they were still in school (33.8%), too young (25.9%) and to avoid shame or stigma associated with the pregnancy (11.7%). Dilation and curettage was the predominant method employed (40.2%) mainly by medical doctors (34.1% and pharmacists (35.6%) while 51 (75%) had post-abortal complaints such as pain (41.2%) and bleeding (21.6%). There was a significant association between having an abortion and place of residence (rural more than urban), (p=0.04), being pregnant more than once (p<0.001), mothers` level of education (p=0.03), fathers` level of education (p=0.02) and mothers occupation (p=0.04).Conclusions: The prevalence of abortion is high and complicated by high morbidity rate despite a higher contraceptive prevalence rate whose major determinants were the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents. There is a need for early sex education from parents as this can influence abortion perception and practice in later years

Single ion heat engine with maximum efficiency at maximum power

We propose an experimental scheme to realize a nano heat engine with a single ion. An Otto cycle may be implemented by confining the ion in a linear Paul trap with tapered geometry and coupling it to engineered laser reservoirs. The quantum efficiency at maximum power is analytically determined in various regimes. Moreover, Monte Carlo simulations of the engine are performed that demonstrate its feasibility and its ability to operate at maximum efficiency of 30% under realistic conditions.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Clinico-toxicological effects of ceftriaxone after intramuscular administration of graded doses in Basenji dogs

Purpose: The recent ceftriaxone-induced anaemia and mortalities at the dose of 50 mg/kg in Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria prompted this study which sought to assess the clinicotoxicological effects of ceftriaxone (CFZ) after intramuscular administration of graded doses in Basenji dogs.Methods: The effects of CFZ on the haematological indices, physiological parameters, liver and kidney functions were assessed in 4 group of dogs (n = 4) designated A – D. They were given CFZ intramuscularly for 21 days at doses of 12, 25 and 50 mg/kg for groups A, B, C, respectively, while thecontrol (group D) received the diluent (lignocaine 0.2 mL)Results: The mean pulse and heart rate of dogs in group C were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher than those of group A, B and D. Significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease in red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) was observed in group C on days 7 and 14, while on day 21, these parameters were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher in group D than in the treated groups. On day 14 of CFZ administration, the alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of dogs in group C was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) elevated than the control group.Conclusion: These findings suggest that CFZ, at the doses of 12.5 - 25 mg/kg, appears safe in dogs as most of the adverse effects observed are reversed following the withdrawal of the drug on day 28. However, CFZ at 50 mg/kg causes anaemia, tachycardia and bilateral paralysis of the hind limbs which did not revert to normal after one week; hence, it is not recommended for use in dogs at this dose

Voicing ambiguities in the Ilizwi Lenyaniso Lomhlaba co-creator collective

This article considers youth co-production in the context of Global Challenges Research funded project, Changing the Story. The participatory project conceives of ‘voice' as research data, turn of phrase, and character by engaging with the work produced by South African co-creator collective Ilizwi Lenyaniso Lomhlaba, who contribute to voicing issues related to land, stewardship and futures. Developing Linda Tuhiwai Smith's five dimensions of decolonial theorisation, the article considers ‘voice' as a complex and dynamic formulation including regimes of power: funding, legacies of dispossession and ongoing marginalisation and highlighting the achievements of young people’s formulation of the stories of their world

Quantum-enhanced absorption refrigerators

Thermodynamics is a branch of science blessed by an unparalleled combination of generality of scope and formal simplicity. Based on few natural assumptions together with the four laws, it sets the boundaries between possible and impossible in macroscopic aggregates of matter. This triggered groundbreaking achievements in physics, chemistry and engineering over the last two centuries. Close analogues of those fundamental laws are now being established at the level of individual quantum systems, thus placing limits on the operation of quantum-mechanical devices. Here we study quantum absorption refrigerators, which are driven by heat rather than external work. We establish thermodynamic performance bounds for these machines and investigate their quantum origin. We also show how those bounds may be pushed beyond what is classically achievable, by suitably tailoring the environmental fluctuations via quantum reservoir engineering techniques. Such superefficient quantum-enhanced cooling realises a promising step towards the technological exploitation of autonomous quantum refrigerators