Assessment of Heavy Metals Level in Soil and Vegetables Grown in Peri-Urban Farms around Osun State and the Associated Human Health Risk

Farming around urban centres (peri-urban farming) is a major source of fresh crop produce, notably vegetables. However, the limitation of land resources and the associated high level of soil contamination from domestic and industrial pollutants are major concerns for the safety of food materials from peri-urban farms. Thus, this study investigated heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) concentration in soil and vegetable samples (Amaranthus hybridus and Corchorus olitorius) collected from selected peri-urban farms with a view to providing information on the human health risks associated with consumption of peri-urban vegetables.This study showed that the concentration of investigated heavy metals in the soils of peri-urban farms were within the background range for farming set by FAO/WHO (2002) and EU (2006) while appreciable level of these metals were observed in vegetable samples. Arsenic concentration was below detection limit in all samples. Amaranthus showed higher retention capacity for the assayed heavy metals except Cu. Transfer Factor values showed metal uptake by vegetables in the order Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu. The estimated daily intake showed that the highest consumption of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were from Amaranthus. The Health risk index showed high values for Cd and Pb but low values for Cu and Zn for both Amaranthus and Corchorus. The results obtained in this study regarding the hazard index indicate that vegetables grown in selected peri-urban farms are not safe for consumption

IN VIVO AND IN VITRO EFFECTS OF ARTEMISININ GROUP OF DRUGS ON TRYPANOSOMOSIS IN MICE

This study was done to study the effect of artemisinin groups of drugs on mice experimentally infected with the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei and on Trypanosoma brucei invitro. Commercial artesunate and artemether were used with diminazene aceturate serving as control. It was discovered that artemether administration resulted into seven days of aparasitaemia of trypanosomosis in vivo and reduced motility of the trypanosomes in vitro. There was synergistic effect in the action of artesunate and diminazene aceturate. In vitro analysis gave a similar result in that the trypanosome were found to be sensitive to artemether  with an MIC of 0.6µl,  artesunate with berenil combination and the artemether treatment group 2.5µM. The implication of these results is discussed and advice is given on the potential adaptation of artesunate for treatment of trypanosomosis and planting of Artemisia annua tree in the country.Â

Moniezia expansa in intensively raised Pigs: A Possible First Report in Nigeria

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Electric field response of strongly correlated one-dimensional metals: a Bethe-Ansatz density functional theory study

We present a theoretical study on the response properties to an external electric field of strongly correlated one-dimensional metals. Our investigation is based on the recently developed Bethe-Ansatz local density approximation (BALDA) to the density functional theory formulation of the Hubbard model. This is capable of describing both Luttinger liquid and Mott-insulator correlations. The BALDA calculated values for the static linear polarizability are compared with those obtained by numerically accurate methods, such as exact (Lanczos) diagonalization and the density matrix renormalization group, over a broad range of parameters. In general BALDA linear polarizabilities are in good agreement with the exact results. The response of the exact exchange and correlation potential is found to point in the same direction of the perturbing potential. This is well reproduced by the BALDA approach, although the fine details depend on the specific parameterization for the local approximation. Finally we provide a numerical proof for the non-locality of the exact exchange and correlation functional.Comment: 8 pages and 8 figure

Effects of rock phosphate amended with poultry manure on soil available p and yield of maize and cowpea

The effect of rock phosphate (Sokoto and Ogun rock phosphates) amended with poultry manure on soil available phosphate (P) and yield of maize and cowpea grown sequentially was evaluated for four cropping seasons. The results obtained showed superiority of single super phosphate (SSP) application over either Sokoto or Ogun rock phosphates. However, complementary application of the Sokoto and Ogun rock phosphates with poultry manure increased maize plant height by 12 and 6, and 19 and 8%, respectively. Also, percent phosphorus contents in maize and cowpea leaf tissues increased respectively by 33 and 22, and 22 and 25% in 2000, and by 25 and 6, and 16 and 18%, respectively in 2001. Maize grain yield was increased by 33 and 26, and 18 and 25%, respectively, while that of cowpea was increased by 25 and 32, and 49 and 38% in 2000 and 2001, respectively when compared with application of rock phosphate alone. Single super phosphate treated soil had the highest residual P values in all the three sampling periods. The effectiveness of rock phosphate as a P sources for crop production was remarkably enhanced by solubilizing effect of poultry manure. Its low rate (2 t ha-1) in combination with rock phosphate gave almost similar effects like higher rates (3 and 4 t ha -1) of applications.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (5), pp. 444-448, 200

MODELING THE PERFORMANCE OF A BAOBAB SEED DECORTICATOR USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

Decortication of baobab seed manually after soaking or roasting is time consuming, labour-intensive and uneconomical. The demand for baobab kernel as a source of protein is increasing for use as supplement for animal protein ration, for edible oil consumption and for other industrial uses. To ameliorate this problem, a baobab seed decorticator has been developed. This study therefore focused on the effects of process parameters; moisture content of seed, speed of decorticator and concave-shaft clearance on percentage clean kernel (Pck), percentage broken kernel (Pbk), percentage whole seed (Pws) and decorticating efficiency (DE), using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). In designing the experiments, Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was selected. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out to evaluate and select the appropriate dependent (Pck Pbk, Pws and DE) and independent variables using both the F and P-values calculated at 95% confidence level (a=0.05). Mathematical models relating the process parameters to the responses were developed. The developed models were validated by comparing the predicted and actual experimental values. The selected quadratic models were adequate for predicting the performance of the developed decorticator. It was observed that a decrease in percentage clean kernel recovery would result if concave-shaft clearance and moisture content were increased. Likewise, the concave-shaft clearance had the highest positive effect while moisture content had the highest negative effect on percentage of broken kernel. All the three factors (process parameters) had positive effects on decorticating efficiency

Environmental Effects of Processing Marine Clay in Olotu, Ondo State, Nigeria

In this work, analysis of the released gas from calcined marine clay and lime shell was investigated. Study of the emitted gas/air from the calcined clay and shell showed that average concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2: 20.09PPM and 8.12PPM) are below the maximum standard natural concentration 600PPM of carbon dioxide in fresh air and the recommended World Health Organization Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of 500PPM. Average carbon monoxide (CO) concentration (0.004PPM, 0.010PPM) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentration (0.002PPM are below the Nigeria Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) maximum limit of 10PPM-20PPM (for carbon monoxide) and 0.01PPM- 0.5PPM (for sulfur dioxide) for an 8-hourly time. It was established that the average concentration of C0, C02, and S02 is so low and so pose no threat to the environment based on the review of the existing regulation, standards and codes (WHO and NAAQSO). Keywords: Ambient, Testo 350XL- Analyzer, PPM- Part Per Million, calcinin

EVALUATION OF SUITABLE PROPAGATION MODEL FOR 4G LTE COMMUNICATION IN NIGERIA

This paper concerns about the radio propagation models used for the 4th Generation (4G) of cellular networks known as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The radio wave propagation model or path loss model plays a very significant role in planning of any wireless communication systems. In this paper, a comparison is made between different proposed radio propagation models that would be used for LTE, like Egli model, Ecc-33 path loss model, Log- Normal Shadowing model, Lee model, Stanford University Interim (SUI) model, Cost 231 Hata Model and Experimental Measured path loss. The comparison is made using different terrains such as urban (Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria) and suburban (Kurudu, F.c.t. Nigeria). Egli model shows the lowest path loss in all the terrains while illustrates highest path loss in the urban area and model has highest path loss for the suburban environments.  &nbsp

EXPLORING SOURSOP KERNEL AS A SUSTAINABLE BIOFUEL: ANALYZING PHYSICAL AND SOLID FLOW PROPERTIES FOR FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT

  Soursop kernel is an oil-bearing seed containing about 25% non-edible oil per 100 g sample making it a potential feedstock for biofuel production. However, exploring the full potential of the oil requires data to design and fabricate appropriate machines for its processing. So, this necessitates a thorough examination of its physical and solid flow behaviour in relation to moisture contents. The experiments conducted on rewetted samples revealed that as moisture content (mc) increased from 8% to 32.5% dry basis (db), the length, width, thickness, arithmetic and geometric mean diameter, volume, surface area, sphericity, and thousand kernels weight increased from 11.40-12.06 mm, 7.04-7.92 mm, 4.58-5.34 mm, 7.69-8.44 mm, 7.12-7.49 mm, 6.5–8.13 cm3, 160.19-199.05 mm2, 0.62- 0.66 and 186.4–291 g, respectively. The true density decreased from 720 to 670 kg/m³, whereas the bulk density increased from 470 to 570 kg/m³. The angle of repose linearly increased from 25.8° to 39.2° as moisture content increased. The highest mean values for coefficients of friction were observed on mild steel surfaces (0.44 for static and 0.53 for dynamic) at 8.0% mc (db) while the lowest values were recorded on stainless steel surfaces (0.20 for static and 0.37 for dynamic) at both 32.5% and 8.0%, (mc, db). The data obtained will prove beneficial to engineers in the design and development of appropriate machines, as well as other handling and processing equipment such as oil expellers, so as to explore the full industrial application of the oil for biodiesel production and other chemical productio

Beyond Prejudice as Simple Antipathy: Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Across Cultures

The authors argue that complementary hostile and benevolent componen:s of sexism exist ac ro.ss cultures. Male dominance creates hostile sexism (HS). but men's dependence on women fosters benevolent sexism (BS)-subjectively positive attitudes that put women on a pedestal but reinforce their subordination. Research with 15,000 men and women in 19 nations showed that (a) HS and BS are coherenl constructs th at correlate positively across nations, but (b) HS predicts the ascription of negative and BS the ascription of positive traits to women, (c) relative to men, women are more likely to reject HS than BS. especially when overall levels of sexism in a culture are high, and (d) national averages on BS and HS predict gender inequal ity across nations. These results challenge prevailing notions of prejudice as an antipathy in that BS (an affectionate, patronizing ideology) reflects inequality and is a cross-culturally pervasive complement to HS