Aligning Multiple Sequences with Genetic Algorithm

The alignment of biological sequences is a crucial tool in molecular biology and genome analysis. It helps to build a phylogenetic tree of related DNA sequences and also to predict the function and structure of unknown protein sequences by aligning with other sequences whose function and structure is already known. However, finding an optimal multiple sequence alignment takes time and space exponential with the length or number of sequences increases. Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are strategies of random searching that optimize an objective function which is a measure of alignment quality (distance) and has the ability for exploratory search through the solution space and exploitation of current results

Investigation of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Hot Spots in the College of Science and Technology, Covenant University, Ota

The presence of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) from electronic devices such as personal computers, laboratory equipment and television sets in selected laboratories and offices at the College of Science and Technology Building, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria was characterized using an ELF Detection Meter. The study revealed that exposure to ELF fields could be controlled to the minimum depending on the awareness of the occupant. As with all electromagnetic fields, the ELF field decays rapidly with distance from source or hot spots. The average observed value of ELF in the offices ranged from 3.5 to 5.0 mG. A significant hot spot with ELF of approximately 10 mG in an office was detected close to the magnetic board fixed on the wall. From the results, the maximum ELF fields of between 30–50 mG were observed close to some electronic devices, while other areas recorded significant ELF fields of between 4 mG and 25 mG due to the presence of electrical internal conduit wiring with no electrical gadgets in their vicinities. Minimum ELF fields of between 0.1 mG and 0.5 mG were observed in one of the locations surveye

Green Completion as a mitigation for BTEX exposure in Gas flaring: Nigeria case study (Exposure assessment and Cost model)

Gas flaring is an essential part of the oil and gas industry safety and waste management procedures; however, it presents a potential exposure to BTEX compounds, a group of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOC), within up to a 10-mile radius of the flare point. The physical and the psychological cost of the journey to work, make employees live close to the workplace. This study examined the perceived exposure of oil and gas industry workers to possible carcinogenic emissions outside the workplace. It looked at the outcomes of the exposure to BTEX through gas flaring drawing on archival data and using Nigeria as a case study. The methodology included a trend analysis, a meta-analysis, and an exposure assessment to develop an incremental excess lifetime cancer (IELCR) risk of the case study population. I developed a cost model for all outcomes, and the sustainability of a green completion strategy for the mitigation of the BTEX exposure through gas flaring is explored. The results showed that the Green completion policy can be employed to reduce the exposure of the oil and gas host communities to BTEX in gas flaring by at least 80% while yielding a Net impact benefit greater than 1 on a 6-year return on investment period

Aerosols Loading Trends and its Environmental Threats Over Cotonou-Benin.

Environmental security is totally relegated in countries of West Africa. The monitoring of the aerosols loading over Cotonou was the aim of this study. The outcome of our finding has salient links to food security, aviation and communication industry, thermal comfort and climate system of Benin. Cotonou is located on longitude 2.43°E and latitude 6.37°N. Fifteen years data were obtained from the multiangled spectro-reflectometry (MISR). The aerosol loading was monitored using analytical and statistical techniques. The aerosols retention over Cotonou was high in 2000 (69.91%), 2008 (72%) and 2013 (42.45%). This means that there is the possibility of higher rising sea levels and exposure to coastal erosion due to a twisted cloud formation

Exposure to job-related violence among young female sex workers in urban slums of Southwest Nigeria

BACKGROUND: In Nigeria, many young girls are engaged in commercial sex work as a means of livelihood and support of dependent relatives. Although studies have documented some of the violence related issues among commercial sex workers, the plight of adolescent and young sex workers particularly in urban slums may be different in context and depth. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the lived experiences of violence and health related harm among vulnerable young female sex workers in urban slums in Ibadan and Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. It also analyzed their coping strategies and survival mechanisms. DESIGN: The study is cross-sectional and applied an interpretive phenomenological approach to this qualitative study through in-depth interviews. PARTICIPANTS: Young female sex workers ages (15-24 years) who reported having experienced violence were recruited for the study. Twelve participants completed the interviews out the 20 initially contacted. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Primary data were collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs). Data were transcribed using a phenomenological framework analysis. Participants' reports based on life experiences were identified: lived experience "daily brothel life experience"; sources of violence such as law enforcement agents' intermittent raids; violence experience with clients who often demanded sexual acts beyond the agreed scope; and coping strategies employed to mitigate the challenges. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in brothels of two selected slum areas in Ibadan and Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. RESULTS: The results showed that the major motivation for engaging in commercial sex work was for economic reasons. However, there are inherent risks involved particularly for the vulnerable young people. Stigmatization from the community, clients' uncontrolled-aggressive behavior and harassment from law enforcement agents are some of the frequent violence experiences reported. Self-help coping strategies are usually employed to prevent or mitigate the challenges. CONCLUSION: The plight of this young people required policy and program attention towards alternative economic empowerment to rehabilitate those willing to leave the profession. Also the need to develop arm reduction interventions towards protection of young sex workers against violence

Dynamics of Wind Strength and Wind Direction on Air Pollution Dispersion

The aim of the study is to examine the wind dynamics of Ota to understand certain atmospheric influences. An average volume of about four hundred and eighty thousand (480,000) wind speed data from the Davis weather station data logger of the department of physics, covenant university were considered. The data studied were divided into eight hour period, namely, night time (10pm to 6am following day); day time (6am to 2pm) and noon/evening time (2pm to 10pm). Of the three periods studied, wind speed at night time was observed to be the least. December, January and February (DJF) data set was statistically analyzed. The correlation coefficient values recorded with the wind flow for the months of DJF are 0.28 for December, 2012, 0.20 for January, 2013, and 0.39 for February, 2013. While a significant low correlation coefficient values observed for the months of March, April and May (MAM) are 0.02 for March, 0.01 for April and 0.04 for May. A further daily analysis was conducted for February. A significant occurrence of atmospheric stagnation was observed in the night time readings of February 3, 2013 with an exceptional low average wind speed of 0.143 ms-1. While February 17, 2013 recorded all day normal air ventilation with wind speed of 1.443 ms-1, 1.998 ms-1, 4.482 ms-1 for night, day and noon/evening time respectivel

Salmonellosis in Lagos, Nigeria: Incidence of Plasmodium falciparum-associated Co-infection, Patterns of Antimicrobial Resistance, and Emergence of Reduced Susceptibility to Fluoroquinolones

The present study was undertaken to examine the status of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella-associated diseases, by verifying possible emergence of reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones in Salmonella isolates and determining the incidence of Plasmodium falciparum-associated co-infection with Salmonella serotypes. Antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of Salmonellae was examined for a 12-month period. Four hundred and forty-one patients comprising two groups were recruited. Group A comprised 235 patients diagnosed by clinicians of having pyrexia, and group B included stool samples of 206 patients presenting with gastroenteritis. Samples were cultured and isolates identified, and drug susceptibility testing was performed using the standard methods. Of the 235 samples screened in group A, 42 Salmonella isolates and 107 Plasmodium spp. were identified. Of the 42 Salmonella isolates, 19 (45.2%) were Salmonella Typhi, 9 (21.4%) S. Enteritidis, and 7 (16.7%) each of S. Paratyphi and S. Arizonae. Plasmodium spp.-associated co-infection with Salmonellae was observed in 16 patients mostly in complicated typhoidal cases and S. Enteritidis-associated bacteraemia. Fiftty-three of the 206 stool samples from group B patients were confirmed positive for bacterial pathogens, made up of 35 Salmonella and 18 Shigella isolates. Of the Salmonella isolates, 18 (51.4%) were S. Enteritidis, 11 (31.4%) S. Arizonae, 4 (11.4%) S. Paratyphi, and 2 (5.7%) S. Typhi. There was no statistically significant difference (p<0.01) in antimicrobial resistance patterns exhibited among typhoidal Salmonellae isolated in 2000 and 2005. A similar trend in resistance was recorded for non-typhoidal Salmonellae (p<0.05). For the first time in Lagos, Nigeria, Salmonella isolates (10–18%) with reduced susceptibility to both ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin at MIC50 and MIC90 values of 0.015 and 0.03 μg/mL respectively were found. Despite this development, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin remain the drug of choice for severe cases of salmonellosis, although caution should be exercised by clinicians in their pres-criptions such that fluoroquinolone antibiotic therapy is used only in laboratory-proven cases of typhoid fever and Salmonella-associated bacteraemia to preserve its efficacy

Ergo-effects of designed school furniture and sitting positions on students behaviour and Musculo-Skeletal Disorder in Nigerian tertiary institutions

Improper design of school furniture is one of the contributing factors to back pain among students as indicated in some studies. In the case of designing school furniture where sitting constitutes a considerable time in the school, seat becomes important for comfort. This study is carried out in three selected institutions in Nigeria to determine level of musculoskeletal disorder in students’ and the furniture that they use. 720 questionnaires with 240 students (120 boys and 120 girls) drawn from each participating institutions were administered and 675 responses were received. The results show that the number of students having MSD, accounted for 93.75%. However, the distributions of pain in the body parts in each school were different. The musculoskeletal pain, mostly concentrated on neck, right shoulders right elbow right wrist right hand, upper back and lower back. The result also reveals that most of the students are sitting on chairs with seat that are too high and too deep or too shallow and of tables that are too high. However, it is recommended that further study on effect of designed school furniture and sitting position in larger sample of students’ representative in Nigeria tertiary institutions should be carried out in order to reduce the effect of body pains

Current perspectives on prevention of vascular cognitive impairment and promotion of vascular brain health

\ua9 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor &amp; Francis Group. Introduction: The true global burden of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is unknown. Reducing risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease would inevitably curtail VCI. Areas Covered: The authors review current diagnosis, epidemiology, and risk factors for VCI. VCI increases in older age and by inheritance of known genetic traits. They emphasize modifiable risk factors identified by the 2020 Lancet Dementia Commission. The most profound risks for VCI also include lower education, cardiometabolic factors, and compromised cognitive reserve. Finally, they discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Expert Opinion: By virtue of the high frequencies of stroke and cardiovascular disease the global prevalence of VCI is expectedly higher than prevalent neurodegenerative disorders causing dementia. Since ~ 90% of the global burden of stroke can be attributed to modifiable risk factors, a formidable opportunity arises to reduce the burden of not only stroke but VCI outcomes including progression from mild to the major in form of vascular dementia. Strict control of vascular risk factors and secondary prevention of cerebrovascular disease via pharmacological interventions will impact on burden of VCI. Non-pharmacological measures by adopting healthy diets and encouraging physical and cognitive activities and urging multidomain approaches are important for prevention of VCI and preservation of vascular brain health

Profitability and Stock Price Volatility of Nigerian Listed Manufacturing Companies

The crux of this study was to examine the impact of profitability on stock price volatility using earnings yield, return on total asset, dividend yield and dividends per share as proxies for profitability. This study adopted Ex-post facto design. The population of this study consisted of manufacturing companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) from which five companies were selected. We found that overall; the profitability proxies combined have significant effect on stock price volatility of the sampled companies. Each of the models revealed that earnings yield, dividend yield and dividends per share have a significant relationship with stock price volatility. It was also observed that return on total assets has no significant relationship with stock price volatility. The study concluded that all variables put together show a positive significant impact on stock price volatility with the most impact from dividend yield and dividends per share. Hence, recommendations were made in the light that investors should invest in companies with well-defined ownership structure and managers should adopt a dividend policy beneficial to shareholders. Keywords: Profitability, Stock Price Volatility, Earnings Yield, Return on Total Assets, Dividend Yield and Dividends per Share