CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOLID MINERALS FROM LOKOJA AND JOS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

The structural, qualitative and quantitative analysis of grained rock samples were carried out with the view to establishing the mineral components present in the samples. Two samples were collectedfrom a mining site in Jos, Plateau State as well as from another mining site in Lokoja, Kogi State.The two samples were prepared for XRD analysis using a backloading preparation method and done with X-ray diffractometer. The analysis confirmed the presence of minerals such as Cassiterite (SnO2), Ilmenite (FeTiO3), Zircon (SiO4),Columbite (Fe), Manganoan in the ample from Jos as a result of the matching of the peaks with the database 2θ values. The percentage area integration of the various phases which correlated to the quantity of the various minerals in the sample revealed that Cassiterite(Tin Oxide) of 65.9% value was from Jos and is a Tin Ore. The grain sizes for Cassiterite (SnO2), Ilmenite (FeTiO3), Zircon (SiO4), Columbite (Fe), Manganoan are 17.674, 35.348, 37.208, 70.695, 20.199 in nm respectively. The samples from Lokoja showed the presence of Magnetite (Fe¬3O4), Quartz (SiO2), Hematite (Fe2O3) and Geothite(FeO(OH)) and confirmed the grain sizes of 28.278, 35.348, 28.278. 17.673 and 23.565 in nm respectively.The constituents of Lokoja samples, all of which contained Iron Oxide also indicate that the sample is an Iron Ore. These findings confirm the fact that the mineral resources that are present in these regions of the country areeconomically viable and have the potential to boost economy and industrial development&nbsp

Dissolution and permeation characteristics of artemether tablets formulated with two gums of different surface activity

Purpose: To evaluate the dissolution and permeation characteristics of artemether tablets formulated with cashew and prosopis gums, and compare with tablets prepared with acacia gum.Methods: Artemether tablets containing varying concentrations (1.0 to 4.0 %w/w) of cashew and prosopis gums or 3 %w/w of acacia (control) gum as binders were formulated by wet granulation method. The tablets were evaluated for crushing strength, friability and disintegration time. Dissolution and permeation characteristics of the formulations were studied using USP methods.Results: Tablets formulated with prosopis gum had higher crushing strength, higher friability and higher disintegration time compared to those of cashew gum at corresponding binder concentrations. Tablets formulated with 3 %w/w cashew gum exhibited complete drug release within 1 h, 95 % drug permeation in 188 min (in simulated gastric fluid [SGF]) and 95 % permeation in 224 min (under simulated intestinal fluid [SIF] condition) while those made with 3 %w/w prosopis gum exhibited 70.7 % drug release in 1 h, 95 % permeation in 135 min (in SGF) and 95 % permeation in 170 min (under SIF condition).Conclusion: Cashew gum is effective as a binder over a relatively wide range of concentrations to achieve fast drug release though with minimal permeation enhancement while prosopis gum is characterized by delayed drug release but enhanced permeation of the released drug.Keywords: Cashew gum, Acacia, Prosopis, Artemether, Drug release, Dissolution, Permeatio

Immunoinformatics assisted design of a multi-epitope kit for detecting <i>Cronobacter sakazakii</i> in powdered infant formula

Objectives: Cronobacter sakazakii, formerly Enterobacter sakazakii, is an emerging ubiquitous and opportunistic foodborne pathogen with a high mortality rate. It has been implicated in cases of meningitis, septicaemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis among infants worldwide in association with powdered infant formula (PIF). This study was an insilico designed peptide base kit framework, using immunoinformatic techniques for quick detection of C. sakazakii in PIF. Materials and Methods: In the present study, a peptide-based kit was designed with a bioinformatic technique to rapidly identify C. sakazakii in PIF using flhE, secY, and bcsC, which are genes responsible for its biofilm formation, as target genes. The antigenicity, membrane topology, and the presence of signal peptides of the target genes were analysed using VaxiJen, DeepTMHMM, and SignalP servers. To provide stability and flexibility to the multiple-epitope construct, the linear B cells and helper T cells (IL-4 (interleukin 4) and IL-10 (interleukin 10) inducing epitopes) were linked with a GSGSG linker followed by the addition of protein disulphide bonds. To ascertain specificity, the multi-epitope construct was molecularly docked against genes from sources other than PIF, like alfalfa, and the environment, with PIF being the highest: –328.48. Finally, the codons were modified using the pET28a(+) vector, and the resultant multi-epitope construct was successfully cloned in silico. Results: The final construct had a length of 486 bp, an instability index of 23.26, a theoretical pI of 9.34, a molecular weight of 16.5 kDa, and a Z-score of –3.41. Conclusions: The multi-epitope peptide construct could be a conceptual framework for creating a C. sakazakii peptide-based detection kit, which has the potential to provide fast and efficient detection. However, there is a need for additional validation through the in vitro and in vivo techniques

Psychosocial Strategies, Debasing Gender- Based Violence in Nigeria

This paper examines Gender -based violence, a violence directed against humans based on their gender which occurs as a result of the normative role expectations associated with each gender and there seems to be unequal relationship between the two genders within the context of each society (Hynes Cardozo,2000). It encompass a large variety of crimes like harassment, threat of rape, rape, forced marriage, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, child abuse Different forms of violence were perpetrated against females in both public and private spheres of life, at any time of their life span cursing harmful and damaging consequences in their lives. The terrifying acts inflicted on females caused by traditional held believes and socially constructed behaviours attributed to gender thus affects women in disproportionate manner. The study investigated gender- based violence Nigerian society and  the strategy to debase the unfair act. Keywords: Gender,violence,forms,effects,strategy,society. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-22-04 Publication date: November 30th 201

Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences (Isee) – Mapping a New Approach to Teaching and Learning Soil Science

The purpose of the Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences project is to develop the ability of our students to use digital maps: (1) to learn how and why soils and landscapes vary spatially at scales ranging from fields, to counties, states, and globally and (2) to learn how the spatial distribution of soils and landscapes impacts the distributions of land use, and environmental and ecosystem services across various scales. Our immediate audience is undergraduate students in soil, crop, natural resource, and environmental science curricula in colleges and universities, but the products created by this project will have broader uses for outreach to other clientele. Products to support teaching and learning include: (1) a revised and expanded Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences (Isee) web site, (2) maps of soil properties for Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Texas, (3) a community of practice dedicated to Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences in soil science education on STEMEdhub.org, and (4) lessons, worksheets, exercises, and experiences shared with the Isee community of practice

Current Treatment and Outcomes Benchmark for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Cancer From a Large UK-Based Single Centre

Objectives: To characterize treatment patterns and survival outcomes for patients with locally advanced or metastatic malignancy of the urothelial tract during a period immediately preceding the widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the UK. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively examined the electronic case notes of patients attending the Leeds Cancer Center, UK with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, receiving chemotherapy between January 2003 and March 2017. Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes were collected. Summary and descriptive statistics were calculated for categorical and continuous variables as appropriate. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate median survival and Cox regression proportional hazards model was used to explore relationships between clinical variables and outcome. Results: Two hundred and sixteen patients made up the study cohort, with a median age of 66 years (range: 35–83) and 72.7% being male. First-line treatment consisted of either a cisplatin- (44%) or carboplatin-based regimen (48%) in the majority of patients. Twenty seven percent of patients received a second-line of treatment (most commonly single-agent paclitaxel) following a first-line platinum containing regimen. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 19 and 27% of those treated with a first-line cisplatin- and carboplatin-based regimen, respectively. The median overall survival (mOS) of the study cohort was estimated to be 16.2 months (IQR: 10.6–28.3 months). Receipt by patients of cisplatin-based chemotherapy was associated with a longer mOS and this association persisted when survival analysis was adjusted for age, sex, performance status and presence of distant metastases. Conclusions: This study provides a useful benchmark for outcomes achieved in a real-world setting for patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC treated with chemotherapy in the immediate pre-immunotherapy era

Cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis identifies six breast cancer loci in African and European ancestry women

Our study describes breast cancer risk loci using a cross-ancestry GWAS approach. We first identify variants that are associated with breast cancer at P \u3c 0.05 from African ancestry GWAS meta-analysis (9241 cases and 10193 controls), then meta-analyze with European ancestry GWAS data (122977 cases and 105974 controls) from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. The approach identifies four loci for overall breast cancer risk [1p13.3, 5q31.1, 15q24 (two independent signals), and 15q26.3] and two loci for estrogen receptor-negative disease (1q41 and 7q11.23) at genome-wide significance. Four of the index single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) lie within introns of genes (KCNK2, C5orf56, SCAMP2, and SIN3A) and the other index SNPs are located close to GSTM4, AMPD2, CASTOR2, and RP11-168G16.2. Here we present risk loci with consistent direction of associations in African and European descendants. The study suggests that replication across multiple ancestry populations can help improve the understanding of breast cancer genetics and identify causal variants