The Biological Effect of a Class of Alternating Magnetic Field on Life Field Using Distilled Water as Test Materials

This study investigated the biological effect of a class of alternating magnetic field on life field using distilled water as test materials. Extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF - MF) was carried out using a 50Hz AC power as the source, and a self made copper wire solenoid (magnetic chamber) inside which the sample was placed. A variable transformer was used to vary the current in the magnetic chamber to achieve different field intensities. The results indicate that magnetic field affects the rate of solubility of salts in water as well as an alteration in its pH. This study supports initial reports that extremely low frequency magnetic field alters the physiochemical properties of water. Keywords: magnetic field, life field, distilled water, biological effec

SCREENING FOR HEAVY MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYDROCARBON UTILIZING BACTERIA FROM OIL IMPACTED, NON OIL IMPACTED SOIL AND NATURAL DEPOSITS

Control and treatment of hazardous effects of heavy molecular weight oil (bitumen) pollution are essential in contaminated soil. This study involved the isolation and screening of microorganisms capable of utilizing heavy molecular weight hydrocarbon from oil impacted, non oil impacted soil and natural deposits of bitumen. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts in the samples ranged from 1.4 ªª? 105 CFU/g to 2.0 ªª? 106 CFU/g. Total oil utilizing bacterial counts varied from 1.5 ªª? 104 CFU/g to 3.6 ªª? 105 CFU/g. Isolates were identified using API 20E kit. They belong to the genera Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, and Serratia. Degradation efficiency of the isolates on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Low Pour Point Fuel Oil (LPFO) were carried out by a colorimetric rapid screen test using 2, 6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) reduction test which was monitored by measuring absorbance at 600 nm at every 24 hrs for 120 hrs. Order of ability of the isolates to degrade PMS: P. aeruginosa > P. mendocina > P. borbori > S. rubidae > P. cichorii > B. cepacia while for DPK is P. cichorii > P. borbori > S. rubidae > P. mendocina > B. cepacia > P. aeruginosa. Ability to degrade LPFO: P. cichorii > P. borbori > P. aeruginosa > P. mendocina > B. cepacia > S. rubidae.ª¤

On A New Weighted Exponential Distribution: Theory and Application

A new two-parameter weighted exponential distribution which has more mild algebraic properties than the existing weighted exponential distribution was studied. Explicit expressions for some of its basic statistical properties including moments, reliability analysis, quantile function and order statistics were derived. Its parameters were estimated using the method of maximum likelihood estimation. The new probability model was applied to four real data sets to assess its flexibility over the existing weighted exponential distributio

Statistical Properties of the Exponentiated Generalized Inverted Exponential Distribution

We provide another generalization of the inverted exponential distribution which serves as a competitive model and an alternative to both the generalized inverse exponential distribution and the inverse exponential distribution. The model is positively skewed and its shape could be decreasing or unimodal (depending on its parameter values). The statistical properties of the proposed model are provided and the method of Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) was proposed in estimating its parameters

On A New Weighted Exponential Distribution: Theory and Application

A new two-parameter weighted exponential distribution which has more mild algebraic properties than the existing weighted exponential distribution was studied. Explicit expressions for some of its basic statistical properties including moments, reliability analysis, quantile function and order statistics were derived. Its parameters were estimated using the method of maximum likelihood estimation. The new probability model was applied to four real data sets to assess its flexibility over the existing weighted exponential distributio

PLASMID PROFILE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA IN SACHET WATER SAMPLES SOLD IN ABEOKUTA, SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates obtained from sachet water from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria was investigated.ª¤? A total of 300 sachet water samples were collected during the dry and rainy season of 2011 to 2012. Selected physicochemical analysis of the sachet water showed a pH range of 5.5-6.5, turbidity of 1.0 «¤??1.5 NTU and temperature of 28-300C. The mean aerobic mesophilic bacterial count of the sachet water samples ranged from 13.4 x 103 «¤?? 18.7 x 103 CFU/mL, while the mean total coliform count ranged from 0.153 - 0.163 x 103 CFU/mL. The physicochemical parameters of the sachet water samples were within the WHO standard for potable water. Bacteria isolated from sachet water samples include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp, Enterobacter sp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Most of the isolates were highly sensitive to Levoxin and Ceftazidime. Plasmid analyses revealed that there were detectable plasmids in 7.1% of the 14 multi-drug resistant isolates. Cured plasmid encoded resistant isolates were susceptible to Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone, Gentamycin, Augmentin and Streptomycin

Effects of Soil Properties and Operational Variables on the Compactibility of a Sandy Loam Soil

The evaluation of an empirical equation for the determination of degree of compaction of a sandy loam soil was carried out using seven soil physical properties and four compaction operational variables. The soil used was obtained from a borrow pit in Gombe. Five levels of compactive effort, E/A, using a drop-weight type compactor varying from 107.91 to 539.55 Nm was used to compact each of seven pairs of embankment and slice thicknesses (Z, z respectively) with Z varying from 210 to 450 mm and z from 30 to 210 mm. The developed empirical equation, π1 = Gπ2k in which π1 is the dimensionless degree of compaction and π2 is a dimensionless combination of the soil properties and the compaction operational variables, has a very high coefficient of determination, r2 varying from 98.8% to 98.9%. G and k are each polynomial functions of compactive effort per loading, eL. that is, G = αGeL2+βG eL + λG and k=αkeL2+βkeL+ λk. The values of the respective α, β and λ are highly statistically significant at 99.95 confidence level. The “dependent” variables (G and k) are highly correlated at 99.95% confidence level of statistical significance with the “independent” variable (eL). The multivariate expression of the degree of compaction obtained in this study shows that compaction depends, not only on cumulative compactive effort, E/A, but also on the compactive effort per loading (eL), embankment and slice thicknesses (Z and z respectively) as well as on easy-to-measure soil properties (i.e. soil texture, soil uniformity coefficient, antecedent soil moisture and antecedent bulk density)

Comparisons of urban and rural heat stress conditions in a hot–humid tropical city

Background: In recent years the developing world, much of which is located in the tropical countries, has seen dramatic growth of its urban population associated with serious degradation of environmental quality. Climate change is producing major impacts including increasing temperatures in these countries that are considered to be most vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to inadequate public health infrastructure and low income status. However, relevant information and data for informed decision making on human health and comfort are lacking in these countries. Objective: The aim of this paper is to study and compare heat stress conditions in an urban (city centre) and rural (airport) environments in Akure, a medium-sized tropical city in south-western Nigeria during the dry harmattan season (January–March) of 2009. Materials and methods: We analysed heat stress conditions in terms of the mean hourly values of the thermohygrometric index (THI), defined by simultaneous in situ air temperature and relative humidity measurements at both sites. Results: The urban heat island (UHI) exists in Akure as the city centre is warmer than the rural airport throughout the day. However, the maximum UHI intensity occurs at night between 1900 and 2200 hours local time. Hot conditions were predominant at both sites, comfortable conditions were only experienced in the morning and evenings of January at both sites, but the rural area has more pleasant morning and evenings and less of very hot and torrid conditions. January has the lowest frequency of hot and torrid conditions at both sites, while March and February has the highest at the city centre and the airport, respectively. The higher frequencies of high temperatures in the city centre suggest a significant heat stress and health risk in this hot humid environment of Akure. Conclusions: More research is needed to achieve better understanding of the seasonal variation of indoor and outdoor heat stress and factors interacting with it in order to improve the health, safety, and productivity of Akure city dwellers

Tissue dyslipidemia in salmonella-infected rats treatTissue dyslipidemia in salmonella-infected rats treated with amoxillin and pefloxac

Background: This study investigated the effects of salmonella infection and its chemotherapy on lipid metabolism in tissues of rats infected orally with Salmonella typhimurium and treated intraperitoneally with pefloxacin and amoxillin. Methods: Animals were infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain TA 98. After salmonellosis was confirmed, they were divided into 7 groups of 5 animals each. While one group served as infected control group, three groups were treated with amoxillin (7.14 mg/kg body weight, 8 hourly) and the remaining three groups with pefloxacin (5.71mg/kg body weight, 12 hourly) for 5 and 10 days respectively. Uninfected control animals received 0.1ml of vehicle. Rats were sacrificed 24h after 5 and 10 days of antibiotic treatment and 5 days after discontinuation of antibiotic treatment. Their corresponding controls were also sacrificed at the same time point. Blood and tissue lipids were then evaluated. Results: Salmonella infection resulted in dyslipidemia characterised by increased concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) in plasma and erythrocyte, as well as enhanced cholesterogenesis, hypertriglyceridemia and phospholipidosis in plasma, low density lipoprotein-very low density lipoprotein (LDL-VLDL), erythrocytes, erythrocyte ghost and the organs. The antibiotics reversed the dyslipidemia but not totally. A significant correlation was observed between fecal bacterial load and plasma cholesterol (r=0.456, p<0.01), plasma triacyglycerols (r=0.485, p<0.01), plasma phospholipid (r=0.414, p<0.05), plasma free fatty acids (r=0.485, p<0.01), liver phospholipid (r=0.459, p<0.01) and brain phospholipid (r=0.343, p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that salmonella infection in rats and its therapy with pefloxacin and amoxillin perturb lipid metabolism and this perturbation is characterised by cholesterogenesis