Sero-prevalence of hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) among blood donors attending ahmadu bello university teaching hospital (Abuth), Zaria, Nigeria

A study on the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B surface Antigen among 100 blood donors attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Shika, Zaria, Kaduna Nigeria was carried out in June, 2008 using hepatitis B surface Antigen latex. Higher prevalence rate was observed between the age range of 30 – 39years. No prevalence was observed between 15 – 19 and 45-54years. The findings revealed high prevalence in males as compared to females (p < 0.05)

Raw starch degrading amylase production by mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisae grown on sorghum pomace

Production of raw starch degrading amylase by a mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisae grown on sorghum pomace as nutrient source was investigated. Effect of mineral nutrient supplementation of sorghum pomace on raw starch degrading amylase activity was also determined. Sorghum pomace medium significantly (

Mycological Quality of Powdered Herbal Medicinal Preparations Packaged for Human Consumption in North Western Nigeria

The increase in the consumption of natural drugs have made their use a public health problem due to its poor quality, presence of  fungal contamination and the risk of the presence of mycotoxins. This investigation was designed to throw light on the mycological and aflatoxigenic status of powdered herbal medicinal products marketed in North Western Nigeria. A total of four hundred and thirty two(432) powdered herbal medicinal preparations consisting of twelve(12) each from six(6) localities in each of the six(6) states’ metropolis of the North Western Nigeria were obtained. These samples were subjected to various analyses. The parameters measured were grouped as follows: level of fungal contaminations of fungi; frequency of distribution of  fungi and  mycoflora type present in the herbal preparations. Results indicated that all the four hundred and thirty two herbal medicinal preparations assessed did not comply with the maximum acceptable limit of 2x102 cfu/g for fungal load. The study showed that samples from Kaduna and Kebbi  had  a significantly  higher  mean fungal count (1.09x105cfu/g and 1.05x105cfu/g respectively) that were not significantly different (p?0.05), hence suggesting higher contamination with fungi. The least was observed in Zamfara state with the lowest mean value of fungal load. The statistical analysis showed that fungal load in Katsina, Sokoto, Kano and  Zamfara  states were  not the same but not significantly different (p?0.05). This suggested low level of contamination with fungi when compared with samples from Kaduna and Kebbi state. In terms of fungal distribution in  herbal medicinal preparations, this study indicated that  fungi of the genus Aspergillus spp and Penicillus spp were the most frequently isolated and were found to be higher in frequency of occurrence. Out of one thousand and ninety five (1095)  total frequency of occurrence of fungi in the herbal medicinal preparations, the total frequency of occurrence of Aspergillus spp in this study is seven hundred and seventy five(70.77%), Penicillium spp (n=190;17.35%); Fusarium spp (n=86;7.85%)  and Rhizopus spp (n=44;4.02%). In this finding it could be suggested that Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp are the major contaminant of herbal drugs. In all the samples screened from the six states, higher level of contamination with Aspergillus spp were found. Among  the Aspergillus spp observed,  A. flavus, A. paraceticus, A. niger were the most frequently occurred fungi in the herbal medicinal samples suggesting that these type of fungi are the major contaminant of the herbal medicinal products in all the six states of the North West of Nigeria. The highest frequency of occurrence of fungi observed in samples from Kaduna 151(69.59%), Kano139 (72.02%),sokoto135 (73.37%), Kebbi127 (66.49%), Kastina112 (70.89%) and Zamfara111 (68.52%)  may be as a result of poor harvesting, processing and storage practice of the handler of the herbal products. The  means of  frequency of occurrence of fungal isolates in herbal preparations from the North Western Nigeria also showed that incidence of  Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus paraceticus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium spp were not significantly  different at p&lt;0.05 but significantly higher than Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus versicolor. The result obtained also indicates that Fusarium spp and Rhizopus spp were significantly the lowest. This result suggests that the samples of herbal medicines obtained in the North Western Nigeria is heavily contaminated with the fungal species of Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp. Keywords:  herbal medicines, fungal contamination, North Western Nigeri

Nature of the constant factor in the relation between radial breathing mode frequency and tube diameter for single-wall carbon nanotubes

Resonance Raman scattering is used to determine the radial breathing mode (RBM) frequency (ωRBM) dependence on tube diameter (dt) for single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We establish experimentally the ωRBM=227.0/dt as the fundamental relation for pristine SWNTs. All the other RBM values found in the literature can be explained by an upshift in frequency due mostly to van der Waals interaction between SWNTs and environment

Hydrocarbon degradation by autochthonous species of Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Kaduna Refinery Effluents

The present work was undertaken to assess the extent of crude oil degradation by Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from effluents collected from Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Kaduna, Nigeria. The samples were analyzed microbiologically using standard microbiological techniques. The isolates of Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were studied to determine their biodegrading capacities on varying concentrations of crude oil as the sole carbon source using minimal medium. The bacterial growth (increase in cell number cfu/ml) was used as indices of biodegradation. The test on the degrading activity of isolates on crude oil from effluent samples revealed that Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the potent degraders of crude oil. There was statistically significant association between time and the increase in bacterial cell numbers (P = 0.00 < 0.05). The implication of the study in relation to biodegradative activity has been discussed

Isolation and Characterization of some Hydrocarbon Utilizing bacteria from Refinery Effluents

The present work was undertaken to isolate and characterize the hydrocarbon degrading bacteria associated with effluent samples collected from Kaduna refinery and petrochemical company (KRPC). The samples were analyzed microbiologically using standard microbiological techniques. Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were successfully isolated from the refinery effluents. However, following treatment before the effluents are discharged, the levels of most parameters were brought within permissible limits. From the study, it was apparent that Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have the ability to grow and survive in refinery effluents

Muon Collider

Both e+e- and {\mu}+{\mu}- colliders have been proposed as possible candidates for a lepton collider to complement and extend the reach of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The physics program that could be pursued by a new lepton collider (e+e- or {\mu}+{\mu}-) with sufficient luminosity would include understanding the mechanism behind mass generation and electroweak symmetry breaking; searching for, and possibly discovering, supersymmetric particles; and hunting for signs of extra spacetime dimensions and quantum gravity. However, the appropriate energy reach for such a collider is currently unknown, and will only be determined following initial physics results at the LHC. It is entirely possible that such results will indicate that a lepton collider with a collision energy well in excess of 1 TeV will be required to illuminate the physics uncovered at LHC. Such a requirement would require consideration of muons as the lepton of choice for such a collider.Comment: v.2., 6 pp. To appear in the 2nd edition of the book Elementary Particles, Landolt-Boernstein Series published by Springer. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:physics/9901022 by other autho