Determination of morphological features and molecular interactions of Nigerian bentonitic clays using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

This research focused on identifying the morphological features and molecular  interactions of the Nigerian Bentonitic clays using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) characterisation technique. The SEM microstructure images indicated that the bentonite samples are generally moderately dispersive to dispersive with some large flocs which were apparently separate and dispersed from one another rather than located on the totality of the image. This property is more pronounced on the sodium (Na) activated and the treated samples than in the raw samples, which could be due to quartz removal and Na activation on the raw Bentonitic samples. Dispersive sample surfaces consist of loose flakes with no definitive mass structures observed on the treated samples due to added poly anionic cellulose (PAC) to the samplesKey words: SEM, microstructure, images, bentonite, flocs and PA

Weather variability in derived savannah and rainforest agroecologies in Nigeria: Implications for crop yields and food security

Weather variability and its effects on agricultural and food systems are burgeoning global concerns. This study examined the effects of weather variability in the derived savannah and rainforest agroecologies, on crop yields in Southwest Nigeria, and what it portends for food and nutrition security in the region. The trends in the distribution of rainfall and temperature were analysed using the Sens method. The effects of weather variability on crop yield and inferences on what it portends for food security were determined using a stepwise regression model. The results revealed that rainfall fluctuations decreased the yields of cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) and yam (Dioscorea spp.) in the derived savannah; while a decrease in temperature may support improved yields for maize ( Zea mays ), sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) and cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ). The increase in yields of cocoa ( Theobroma cacao ) and cocoyam ( Colocasia esculenta ) would be hampered by increasing maximum temperatures in the rainforest agroecology. Increasing rainfall and temperature would impact warmer conditions that support rapid crop putrefaction, flooding, droughts, challenging postharvest crop management, pest and disease proliferation, and ultimately, reduced crop yields. On the other hand, perpetually low rainfall and temperature conditions will cause poor seedling emergence and growth, seed and total crop loss. It is, therefore, imperative that effective climate adaptation and mitigation mechanisms be put in place across the agroecologies in the region.La variabilit\ue9 m\ue9t\ue9orologique et ses effets sur les syst\ue8mes agricoles et alimentaires sont des pr\ue9occupations mondiales en plein essor. Cette \ue9tude a examin\ue9 les effets de la variabilit\ue9 m\ue9t\ue9orologique dans les agro\ue9cologies d\ue9riv\ue9es de la savane et de la for\ueat tropicale humide sur les rendements des cultures dans le sud-ouest du Nigeria, et ce qu\u2019elle pr\ue9sage pour la s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire et nutritionnelle dans la r\ue9gion. La tendance de la distribution des pr\ue9cipitations et de la temp\ue9rature a \ue9t\ue9 analys\ue9e \ue0 l\u2019aide de la m\ue9thode Sens. Les effets de la variabilit\ue9 m\ue9t\ue9orologique sur le rendement des cultures et les d\ue9ductions sur ce qu\u2019elle pr\ue9sage pour la s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire ont \ue9t\ue9 d\ue9termin\ue9s \ue0 l\u2019aide d\u2019un mod\ue8le de r\ue9gression progressive. Les r\ue9sultats ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que les fluctuations des pr\ue9cipitations diminuaient les rendements du manioc ( Manihot esculenta ) et de l\u2019igname (Dioscorea spp.) dans la savane d\ue9riv\ue9e ; tandis qu\u2019une diminution de la temp\ue9rature pourrait favoriser l\u2019am\ue9lioration des rendements du ma\uefs ( Zea mays ), du sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ) et du ni\ue9b\ue9 ( Vigna unguiculata ). L\u2019augmentation des rendements du cacao ( Theobroma cacao ) et du cocoyam ( Colocasia esculenta ) serait entrav\ue9e par l\u2019augmentation des temp\ue9ratures maximales dans l\u2019agro\ue9cologie de la for\ueat tropicale. L\u2019augmentation des pr\ue9cipitations et de la temp\ue9rature aurait un impact sur des conditions plus chaudes qui favorisent la putr\ue9faction rapide des cultures, les inondations, les s\ue9cheresses, la gestion des cultures post-r\ue9colte difficile, la prolif\ue9ration des ravageurs et des maladies et, en fin de compte, la r\ue9duction des rendements des cultures. D\u2019autre part, les pr\ue9cipitations et les conditions de temp\ue9rature perp\ue9tuellement basses entra\ueeneront une mauvaise \ue9mergence et croissance des semis, des semis et une perte totale de r\ue9colte. Il est donc imp\ue9ratif que des m\ue9canismes efficaces d\u2019adaptation et d\u2019att\ue9nuation du climat soient mis en place dans les agro\ue9cologies de la r\ue9gion

Dengue virus is hyperendemic in Nigeria from 2009 to 2020: A contemporary systematic review

Backround: Data on Dengue virus (DENV) infection prevalence, geographic distribution and risk factors are necessary to direct appropriate utilization of existing and emerging control strategies. This study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence, risk factors of DENV infection and the circulating serotypes within Nigeria from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2020. Materials and methods: Twenty-one studies out of 2,215 available articles were eligible and included for this systematic review. Relevant articles were searched, screened and included in this study according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The risk of bias in primary studies was assessed by Cochrane's method. Heterogeneity of pooled prevalence was calculated using the chi-square test on Cochrane's Q statistic, which was quantified by I-square values. The random-effects analyses of proportions were used to determine the pooled prevalence of DENV antibodies, antigen and RNA from eligible studies. Results: Of these, 3 studies reported co-circulation of all the 4 serotypes, while 2 separately reported co-circulation of DENV-1 &2 and DENV-1 to -3. All the antibody-based studies had significantly high heterogeneity (I2 >90%, P 0.05). The pooled prevalence of DENV IgM, IgG, RNA, NS1 and neutralizing antibodies were 16.8%, 34.7%, 7.7%, 7.7% and 0.7%, respectively. Southeast Nigeria had the highest pooled DENV-IgG seropositivity, 77.1%. Marital status, gender, educational level and occupation status, the proximity of residence to refuse dumpsite, frequent use of trousers and long sleeve shirts were significantly associated with DENV IgG seropositivity (P <0.05). Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be inferred that Nigeria is hyperendemic for Dengue fever and needs concerted efforts to control its spread within and outside the country

Global, regional, and national under-5 mortality, adult mortality, age-specific mortality, and life expectancy, 1970–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND: Detailed assessments of mortality patterns, particularly age-specific mortality, represent a crucial input that enables health systems to target interventions to specific populations. Understanding how all-cause mortality has changed with respect to development status can identify exemplars for best practice. To accomplish this, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) estimated age-specific and sex-specific all-cause mortality between 1970 and 2016 for 195 countries and territories and at the subnational level for the five countries with a population greater than 200 million in 2016. METHODS: We have evaluated how well civil registration systems captured deaths using a set of demographic methods called death distribution methods for adults and from consideration of survey and census data for children younger than 5 years. We generated an overall assessment of completeness of registration of deaths by dividing registered deaths in each location-year by our estimate of all-age deaths generated from our overall estimation process. For 163 locations, including subnational units in countries with a population greater than 200 million with complete vital registration (VR) systems, our estimates were largely driven by the observed data, with corrections for small fluctuations in numbers and estimation for recent years where there were lags in data reporting (lags were variable by location, generally between 1 year and 6 years). For other locations, we took advantage of different data sources available to measure under-5 mortality rates (U5MR) using complete birth histories, summary birth histories, and incomplete VR with adjustments; we measured adult mortality rate (the probability of death in individuals aged 15-60 years) using adjusted incomplete VR, sibling histories, and household death recall. We used the U5MR and adult mortality rate, together with crude death rate due to HIV in the GBD model life table system, to estimate age-specific and sex-specific death rates for each location-year. Using various international databases, we identified fatal discontinuities, which we defined as increases in the death rate of more than one death per million, resulting from conflict and terrorism, natural disasters, major transport or technological accidents, and a subset of epidemic infectious diseases; these were added to estimates in the relevant years. In 47 countries with an identified peak adult prevalence for HIV/AIDS of more than 0·5% and where VR systems were less than 65% complete, we informed our estimates of age-sex-specific mortality using the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP)-Spectrum model fitted to national HIV/AIDS prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance systems. We estimated stillbirths, early neonatal, late neonatal, and childhood mortality using both survey and VR data in spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models. We estimated abridged life tables for all location-years using age-specific death rates. We grouped locations into development quintiles based on the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and analysed mortality trends by quintile. Using spline regression, we estimated the expected mortality rate for each age-sex group as a function of SDI. We identified countries with higher life expectancy than expected by comparing observed life expectancy to anticipated life expectancy on the basis of development status alone. FINDINGS: Completeness in the registration of deaths increased from 28% in 1970 to a peak of 45% in 2013; completeness was lower after 2013 because of lags in reporting. Total deaths in children younger than 5 years decreased from 1970 to 2016, and slower decreases occurred at ages 5-24 years. By contrast, numbers of adult deaths increased in each 5-year age bracket above the age of 25 years. The distribution of annualised rates of change in age-specific mortality rate differed over the period 2000 to 2016 compared with earlier decades: increasing annualised rates of change were less frequent, although rising annualised rates of change still occurred in some locations, particularly for adolescent and younger adult age groups. Rates of stillbirths and under-5 mortality both decreased globally from 1970. Evidence for global convergence of death rates was mixed; although the absolute difference between age-standardised death rates narrowed between countries at the lowest and highest levels of SDI, the ratio of these death rates-a measure of relative inequality-increased slightly. There was a strong shift between 1970 and 2016 toward higher life expectancy, most noticeably at higher levels of SDI. Among countries with populations greater than 1 million in 2016, life expectancy at birth was highest for women in Japan, at 86·9 years (95% UI 86·7-87·2), and for men in Singapore, at 81·3 years (78·8-83·7) in 2016. Male life expectancy was generally lower than female life expectancy between 1970 and 2016, an

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Not AvailableNumber of matings during the follicular cycle and data on conception rate were collected and analysed in indigenous camels (Bikaneri, Jaisalmeri and Kachchi breeds) managed under semi-intensive system. Ovarian activity during breeding and non-breeding season was examined ultrasonographically. It was revealed that follicular growth and redression is a gradual and sequential process in absence of ovulation. Apart from breeding season follicular growth was also observed in 50 percent of the camels during non-breeding season. The mean conception percentage under single mating, 2 matings at an interval of 24 and 48 hours from 1991-92 to 1997-98 did not show signioficant variation in Bikaneri, Jaisalmeri and Kachchi breed with conception of 60.14, 53.12 and 56.94 percent respectively and a overall conception of 56.85 percent, where as the mean percent conception with 2 matings at 72 hr interval during the follicular cycle in Bikaneri, Jaisalmeri and Kachchi was 80.0, 72 and 71.43 percent respectively with overall conception 75.8 percent. An improvement of about 10 to 15 percent could be observed in conception rate when given 2 matings at interval of 72 hours as compared to single mating and 2 matings at an interval of 24 to 48 hours.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableCollection of semen with a bovine artificial vagina (AV) was attempted with each of 14 camels over a period of 2 years. Semen samples were evaluated, extended and cryopreserved. Frozen thawed semen, diluted cooled semen or whole semen was used to inseminate some female camels which were induced to ovulate with hCG. Males ejaculated semen into the AV in 74.6% collection attempts. The male copulated for at least 200s in 62.9% attempts. The remaining copulations were of shorter duration. Similarly, 49.3% ejaculates were at least 3ml of semen. Libido and donation of semen improved from December onwards and reached a peak after mid January with peak performance persisting until April. It declined during May. The majority of camels had lost libido and refuse to donate semen by the end of May. Camel semen is in gel form. While 35.9% of 203 semen samples exhibited no individual sperm motility, 28.5% exhibited low to fair grade individual sperm motility and only 35.4% exhibited >50% sperm motility. Differences existed between animals (P50% and 25% of 16 semen samples from low pre-freeze motility group with an overall success of 44.2% of 61 semen samples were successfully preserved. Wide variation was observed in the freezability of semen from different males. Attempts to impregnate female camels with liquid semen, frozen thawed semen and whole semen after hCG induced ovulation resulted in 0/10, 1/13 and 4/10 pregnancies.Not Availabl

Estimating MSW Energy as Alternative Fuel Support for Sustainable Power Generation in Nigeria

One of the challenges facing power industries in Nigeria today is shortage of gas supply to power thermal and steam turbine in electricity generating stations which has resulted in low generating capacity relative to installed capacity by most of these companies. This paper attempt to estimate capacity of energy value that could be realized from domestic waste using geometrical model and 2006 population data in the country. With per capita waste generation and specific value of waste to energy conversion through waste to energy technologies, the findings revealed that, municipal solid waste (MSW) could be an alternative fuel to thermal stations and enhance sustainable electricity production if properly managed. For projected population of over 255millions by the year 2025, an estimated 60 534 742 tons of domestic waste, 9 240MW of energy, over U$2.9billion in the same period could be realized. This power value is estimated to be around 136%, 264-205%, 93% and 37% of present installed capacity; present electricity generation capacity; current potential demand and long term power demands of the country respectively. The significance of this study shows that huge amount of energy in the form of electricity, gas, and heat locked in organic part of MSW is been wasted on daily basis that could have being used in power generating industries. One of the recommendations is to engage professional waste management agencies by investing in waste to energy technologies

Influence of Allium Sativum (Garlic), Zingiber officinale (Ginger) and Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) Extract against Larvae of Aedes mosquitoes (Culicidae: Diptera)

Mosquito control has become more difficult due to the unsystematic use of synthetic chemical insecticides which have inauspicious effect on the environment. Botanical phyto-chemicals with mosquitocidal potential are now recognized as potent alternative insecticides to replace synthetic insecticides in mosquito control programs due to their excellent larvacidal activities. The present study assessed the influence of A. sativum (garlic), Z. officinale (ginger) and S. aromatic (clove) extracts against Aedes mosquitoes. Larvacidal activities of three indigenous plant extracts were studied in the range 5.0 to 30.0mg/l in the laboratory bioassay against fourth instar larvae of Aedes sp. The mortality were subjected to probit analysis to determine the lethal concentration (LC50) to kill 50 percent of treated larvae of Aedes sp. Data obtained were analyzed by Comparing experimental groups and control groups with significance level established at p&lt;0.05. All plants tasted showed effects after 24hrs of exposure at different concentration (mg/l). However the highest mortality was found in A. Sativum (garlic) and Z. officinale (ginger) against larvae of Aedes mosquitoes with LC50 = 42.50% (2.685) and LC50 = 30.01% (4.461) mg/l, while S. aromatic(clove) was found to have lowest mortality at LC50 = 24.50% (5.52) respectively. It is therefore recommended that A. sativum(Gallic), S. aromatic (Clove) has showed larvacidal effects against Aedes mosquitoes and could be served as alternative form of botanical control against mosquitoes . Keywords: A. sativum (garlic), Z. officinale (ginger) and S. aromatic (clove), Extracts, Aedes mosquitoe