Polluted Alamuyo River: Impacts on surrounding wells, microbial attributes and toxic effects on Allium cepa root cells

The physicochemical analysis and microbial load of polluted Alamuyo River in Ibadan, Nigeria and selected wells along its course were evaluated. Toxic effects of water samples obtained from upstream(A) and down stream (F) of the river were also evaluated using Allium cepa root assay. The result of the analysis revealed that the water sample contained toxic substances. However, almost all parametersevaluated were within the allowable limit of treated wastewater. High microbial load was observed in river water samples compared to the well water samples throughout the sampling periods with overall highest value observed at Late Rainy Season upstream water sample (LRS-A). MPN of faecal coliform showed that LDS-A, ERS-F and LRS from A – F were significantly different. Echerichia coli, Bacillus substillis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fragii were among the microbes observed in the samples. T-test analysis on A. cepa root length showed that only 50% of LDS-A, LDS-F and LRS-A were significantly different from control (P < 0.05) though there were reduction in root length in allconcentrations tested through out the sampling period except 5% ERSA, 10% ERSF and 10% LRSF. Microscopic evaluation of A. cepa cells showed decreasing number of dividing cells and mitotic indiceswere not dose dependent in most cases. Chromosome fragments, bridge, lag and disturbed spindle were the aberrations observed in this study. Our result showed that water samples from the rivercontained toxic substances and high microbial load, which have effects on the surrounding wells due to infiltration

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Hydrology and water quality characteristics of a stressed lotic freshwater system in southwest Nigeria

The hydrology and water quality of Aiba stream were investigated from November 2012 to April 2013 on monthly basis. This was with a view to assessing the status of the stream sequel to its last study which indicated a poor physico-chemical water quality. Four sampling stations were established for the study along the longitudinal axis of the stream, covering both the upper and lower reaches. Hydrological input from the upstream reservoir was observed to be considerably low during the dry season, a situation which further exacerbated the water quality as indicated by very low dissolved oxygen concentration, high BOD5, high conductivity value and high ionic concentrations. High nutrient (PO43- and NO3-) level recorded in this study indicated a eutrophic freshwater system. Generally, the physico-chemical nature of the water in the dry season indicated that the stream fell short of the standards required for freshwater life. Urgent steps need to be taken to mitigate the impacts of natural and man-induced stresses on the stream in order to safeguard the ecosystem and the surrounding terrestrial ecosystems.Keywords: channel width, discharge, flow velocity, hydrological characteristics, lotic system, spatio-temporal, stress, water qualit