Molecular Detection of Virulence Genes and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolated from Raw Beef Sold in Abeokuta, South-West Nigeria

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important food-borne pathogen that can cause diarrhea, haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uremic syndrome. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, virulence genes and antibiotic resistance patterns of E. coli O157:H7 in raw beef meat sold in Abeokuta, South west Nigeria. One hundred and twenty samples of raw beef meat were collected from four abattoirs and examined for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. The virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eaeA and hlyA) were detected in E. coli O157:H7 isolates by polymerase chain reactions. The antibiotic resistance patterns of the isolates were determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Of 120 samples analyzed, 8 (6.67%) were contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, with highest prevalence rate (2.5%) found in beef samples collected from Rounder abattoir. The virulence genes (stx 1 and stx 2 genes) were detected in 7 (87.5%) of E. coli O157:H7 isolates while no eaeA and hlyA genes were found. All the E. coli O157:H7 isolates were highly resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol and sensitive to ciprofloxacin and streptomycin. The results of this study revealed that raw beef meat could be potential vehicles of transmitting multi-drug resistant, shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 to humans.Keywords: Pathogen, E. coli O157:H7, virulence genes, antibiotic-resistance, beef mea

Assessment of Land Use/Cover Change Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques: A Case of Osogbo and Its Peripheral Areas in Nigeria

The importance of accurate and timely information describing the nature and extent of land resources and changes over time is increasing, especially in rapidly growing city areas. Landsat satellite imageries of three different time periods, i.e., Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) of 1982, 2000 and 2018 were acquired by Global Land Cover Facility Site (GLCF) and earth explorer site, quantify the changes in the Osogbo and its peripheral areas from 1982 to 2018 over a period of 36 years. These data sets were imported in ArcGIS 10.3, ERDAS Imagine and IDRIS Selva, satellite image processing softwares to create a false colour composite (FCC), supervised classification methodology was employed using maximum likelihood technique. The images of the study area were categorized into four different classes namely Core-urban, Peri-urban, Vegetation, water body. The results indicate that during the last thirty-six (36) years, Core-Urban land and water body have been increased by 2.74% (38.20 km2) and 0.98% (13.69 km2) while Peri-Urban land, and vegetation cover have decreased by 0.35% (5.00 km2), and 3.36 % (46.87 km2), respectively. The results quantify the land cover change patterns in the city and its peripheral area and demonstrate the potential of multitemporal Landsat data to provide an accurate, economical means to map and analyse changes in land cover over time that can be used as inputs to land management and policy decisions

Change Detection Analysis and Deforestation Rates in Oluwa Forest Reserve, Ondo State, Nigeria

Land use and land cover (LULC) intensified by the conversion of natural resources for food purpose, urbanization, and other socioeconomic benefits as affected forest reserves and made them undergo rapid, wide-ranging changes. This study examined the use of GIS and remote sensing techniques to gain a quantitative understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of LULC. Maximum likelihood classifier approach was used to detect LULC changes in the study area of 1989 to 2019 using three Landsat images from 1989, 2004 and 2019. The observed changes were indicative of a decrease in the expanse of the forested area of (1989 to 2004), with 1989 having (89.2%) and 2004 (74.1%) with a differential range loss of (-15.1%), and a differential annual rates of deforestation of (-1.236436715). During the following 15 years (2004 to 2019) the annual rate of deforestation has increased to (1.303364215) with year 2019 recording (90.1%). The overall annual deforestation rate in the forested area of the studied period (1989-2019) is 0.033464, which implies that there is a percentage gain in forest. It is observed in this study that the highest deforestation rate was registered between 1989 and 2004. Non-forest occupied 10.8% in 1989 increasing in year 2004 by25.9% with a positive annual rate of change (5.831312231) and negative annual rate of change (-6.411388077) between 2004 to 2019, meaning there was loss in nonforest cover. The overall annual deforestation rate in the non - forested area of the studied period (1989-2019) is -0.29004. According to this evolution, the annual rate of deforestation was estimated to be (0.033464%) for the three defined periods in the forested area. So therefore to avoid drivers leading to changes in land use land cover stressing the complexity that is related to sustainable management of protected areas, urgent action is necessary to reduce loss of biodiversity due to deforestation and land degradation

Effects of Forest Fire on the Regeneration Potentials of Tree Species in Olokemeji Forest Reserve, Ogun State, Nigeria

Effects of forest fire on the regeneration potential of trees at Olokemeji Forest Reserve was established in this study. The Olokemeji fire experimental plot was selected at the reserve. The site was divided into three plots; late fire treatment was applied to Plot A, Early fire treatment was also applied to Plot B and no fire treatment at plot C (Control plot). The diameter at breast height (dbh) and tree height (m) of the tree species in the plots were assessed prior and post fire treatment. The regeneration potential of the selected plots after burning were assessed through the occurrence of saplings and seedlings obtained. The highest basal area (m2) were found in plot C followed by plot B and Plot C with mean value of 0.64, 0.55 and 0.30 m2 respectively. The number of stems per plot ranged from 25 to 67. The regeneration potentials of the three plots were found to be noteworthy. Early and late year fire regime adopted had both positive and negative effect on the regeneration potentials of tree species. This study has established the effect and relevance of fire on forest and wildlife management. It’s therefore recommended in this study that Prescribed or controlled burning should be encouraged as appropriate sivilcultural management tool for stimulating basal area growth, natural regeneration, production of tree species seedlings and saplings

Use of Digital Elevation Models to Map Out The Groundwater Resources Base Of Kuje Area to Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

This research work examined the use of digital elevation model in the evaluation of groundwater resources in Kuje Area, Nigeria. This was achieved through the acquisition of topographic maps, Digitization of the topographic maps which were glued and interpolated to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and Mapping of groundwater potential areas using ArcGIS 9.2 and ArcView 3.2a software. Findings from this research show that the study area have elevations ranging from 333 m to 429 m above sea level with a moderate groundwater potential in areas with elevation ranging from 286 m and 333 m above sea level. Some areas also have ground water problem, these areas were classified as mountainous areas and are located at very high elevations. The rocky nature of the high elevated environment makes these areas have very little hope of assessing groundwater. It was suggested that government should properly monitor groundwater, inhabitants should be made to accept laws which will help them in the conservation of ground water resources and efforts should also be made by the government towards creating incentives that will encourage people to obey these laws, Conservation methods such as retardation of surface runoff, control of vegetation and groundwater withdrawal rates should be employed

A giant hydronephrotic pelvic kidney mimicking an ovarian cyst in a 34-week pregnancy

Background: A giant hydronephrosis is defined as a dilated pelvi-calyceal system with an amount of urine exceeding one Litre in the urinary tract of an adult. It can mimic several other clinical conditions including a huge ovarian cyst. An ectopic pelvic kidney with hydronephrosis in pregnancy is a rare occurrence.Aim: This study documents a case of giant hydronephrosis that was wrongly diagnosed as an ovarian cyst. Findings: A 36-year old primiparous with a giant hydronephrosis which was initially diagnosed as an ovarian cyst. She was planned for a laparotomy with caesarean section and ovarian cystectomy at 34 weeks gestation. She was delivered of a live female neonate. Further exploration was done which revealed a left ectopic kidney. She had a left simple nephrectomy because the kidney appeared totally unhealthy.Conclusion: There is a need to be careful when dealing with cystic lesions of the abdomen. A high index of suspicion is required and further imaging other than ultrasound scan such as computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be necessary to make accurate diagnosis.Keywords: Caesarean section, ectopic gestation, hydronephrosis, urinary tract, cystectomy, ovarian cyst

Distribution and Perception of Open Grown Trees (OGTs) on Farmlands in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study investigated the distribution of tree species, usefulness and perception of farmers on retention of open grown trees (OGTs) on their farmlands in Oyo State. OGTs are tree species located outside the designated forest reserves. Three stage sampling design was adopted in the selection of 80 farmers from Ibadan and Saki zones of Agricultural Development Programme of Oyo State (OYSADEP). Through field observation and questionnaire sampling, information collected were level of awareness of trees on farmlands, retention of trees during land preparation, farm size, type of farming system and tree species growing of farmlands. The result of the descriptive and inferential test statistics indicated that there are variations in farmers’ perceptions towards the usefulness of trees on their farmlands. In Ibadan Zone, 77.5% of farmers do use and collect products from the trees on their farmlands, while 22.5% do not. In Saki zone, 50% of the farmers were aware of the usefulness of trees growing on their farmlands. Chi-square test of statistics revealed that some socio-economic characteristics of the farmers were significant when tested at α0.05, indicating that they do have influence over retention of trees on farmland. Gmelina arborea Roxb and Terminalia superba Engl. and Diels were the most species identified in Ibadan and Shaki agricultural Zones respectively. The existing forest management regimes will be more significant if trees on farm landscape are also put on board by being given a strong support both politically and financially to reduce over burden of illegal removal of trees from the reserves

Beyond Organic Aetiology: Exploring A Psychocognitive Approach To Gastric Ulceration

Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiments brought to the fore how stimuli of purely psychogenic nature mediate and affect cognitive state, hence, shaping physiologic functions. Against this background, I seek to understand how the triad of the brain, the mind and our human experiences (in the context of disease) interact. I attempt a systematic explication of how this interaction may occur in the onset of gastric ulceration. On that note, I argue that a valid psychocognitive frame of reference offers creative insights into how non-pharmacological means may be employed in the clinical palliation of forms of non-organic gastric ulcer