Determination of Selected Heavy Metals In Seasonal River In Maru Town, Zamfara State, Nigeria.

The presence of heavy metals in our environment has been of great concern because of their toxicity when their concentration is more than the permissible level. The main threats to human health from heavy metals are associated with exposure to Lead and Cadmium. These metals have been extensively studied and their effect on human health regularly monitored and reviewed by international bodies such as the WHO and USEPA. Total levels of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr were determined in seasonal river in the eastern part of Maru using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). The results of total metals concentration (ppm) in the river were 0.0211±0.0014, 0.177±0.0004, 0.0201±0.0031, 1.1367±0.0493 and 0.0058±0.0003 for Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr respectively. The study showed that the sample was contaminated with Zn when compared to others. The level of Cd and Pb were high when compared to their safety limit (0.01 and 0.10) by U.S.E.P.A. Keywords: Maru, Heavy Metals, Seasonal Rivers, Contamination

An investigation of threat types to the conservation of Pan troglodytes ellioti at Kwano forest of Gashaka-Gumti national park, Nigeria

The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee has been classified on the red list of threatened species (endangered) of IUCN and It has been established that it is only when animal or plant species are subject to certain threat factors that the species can be considered as threaten. It is in view of the aforementioned that this research was carried out to determine those threat factors that mitigates against the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee habitat. Transects, trails and random forest walks were the methods used for the data collection while tables, charts and mean values as well as photo plats were used to analyse the data collected. The different types of threats observed were Poaching which (11 segments; 52.4 5 %) of the habitat, illegal bush burning (16 segments; 76.6 %) of the habitat, river poisoning (1 segment; 4.8 %) of the habitat, tree felling (4 segments; 19.1 %) of the habitat and Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) extraction (7 segments; 33.3 %) of the habitat. Poaching activities were highest in Ngiti forest (49.4 %), followed by Yakuba forest (25.3 %) while Tounga (16.5 %) and Bakashi (8.9 %) experienced the least poaching activities. Despite the status of Kwano forest as a protected area; the sitting of a research project in the area and constant presence of researchers, some threat factors to the conservation of this forest prevails. Concerted effort from both the National Parks Service and Non-governmental organisations is highly needed to reduce or absolutely eliminate illegal activities from this area.Keywords: Chimpanzee, Habitat, Conservation, Threats and Kwan

Servicio de sistemas personalizados de dosificación: coste del servicio frente al margen de los medicamentos

Introducción: La preparación de sistemas personalizados de dosificación (SPD) dentro del servicio de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico (SFT) ha demostrado ser un instrumento que mejora la adherencia terapéutica del paciente. Para la valoración de su remuneración se analiza el coste de este servicio y si el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD cubre su prestación. Objetivos: Establecer un análisis de costes del servicio; averiguar si, en pacientes polimedicados tipo, el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD cubre los costes, y conocer el número de medicamentos que deberían incluirse cuyo margen cubra la prestación del servicio. Material y métodos: Para el análisis del coste del servicio, se ha considerado el coste de la preparación del SPD y de la intervención farmacéutica más el coste directo del material utilizado. En el análisis de pacientes reales, se ha calculado el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD y se ha comparado con el coste calculado de la prestación del servicio. Para el análisis del número de medicamentos, se ha tomado como referencia el precio medio de los medicamentos dispensados al CatSalut y el margen medio actual. Resultados: El coste del servicio por paciente y mes (4 semanas) se ha estimado en 19,85 euros. Se necesitarían un mínimo de 8 medicamentos para cubrir este coste. Conclusiones: A partir de los casos analizados, se concluye que es muy difícil cubrir el coste del servicio con el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD. La remuneración debe considerar otros aspectos tras evaluar la eficiencia del servicio

Servicio de sistemas personalizados de dosificación: coste del servicio frente al margen de los medicamentos

Introducción: La preparación de sistemas personalizados de dosificación (SPD) dentro del servicio de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico (SFT) ha demostrado ser un instrumento que mejora la adherencia terapéutica del paciente. Para la valoración de su remuneración se analiza el coste de este servicio y si el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD cubre su prestación. Objetivos: Establecer un análisis de costes del servicio; averiguar si, en pacientes polimedicados tipo, el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD cubre los costes, y conocer el número de medicamentos que deberían incluirse cuyo margen cubra la prestación del servicio. Material y métodos: Para el análisis del coste del servicio, se ha considerado el coste de la preparación del SPD y de la intervención farmacéutica más el coste directo del material utilizado. En el análisis de pacientes reales, se ha calculado el margen de los medicamentos incluidos en el SPD y se ha comparado con el coste calculado de la prestación del servicio. Para el análisis del número de medicamentos, se ha tomado como referencia el precio medio de los medicamentos dispensados al CatSalut y el margen medio actual. Resultados: El coste del servicio por paciente y mes (4 semanas) se ha estimado en 19,85 euros. Se necesitarían un mínimo de 8 medicamentos para cubrir este coste. Conclusiones: A partir de los casos analizados, se concluye que es muy difícil cubrir el coste del servicio con el margen de los medicamentos dispensados e incluidos en el SPD. La remuneración debe considerar otros aspectos tras evaluar la eficiencia del servicio

Two-factor authentication underpins the precision of the piRNA pathway

The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway guides the DNA methylation of young, active transposons during germline development in male mice1. piRNAs tether the PIWI protein MIWI2 (PIWIL4) to the nascent transposon transcript, resulting in DNA methylation through SPOCD1 (refs. 2–5). Transposon methylation requires great precision: every copy needs to be methylated but off-target methylation must be avoided. However, the underlying mechanisms that ensure this precision remain unknown. Here, we show that SPOCD1 interacts directly with SPIN1 (SPINDLIN1), a chromatin reader that primarily binds to H3K4me3-K9me3 (ref. 6). The prevailing assumption is that all the molecular events required for piRNA-directed DNA methylation occur after the engagement of MIWI2. We find that SPIN1 expression precedes that of both SPOCD1 and MIWI2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that young LINE1 copies, but not old ones, are marked by H3K4me3, H3K9me3 and SPIN1 before the initiation of piRNA-directed DNA methylation. We generated a Spocd1 separation-of-function allele in the mouse that encodes a SPOCD1 variant that no longer interacts with SPIN1. We found that the interaction between SPOCD1 and SPIN1 is essential for spermatogenesis and piRNA-directed DNA methylation of young LINE1 elements. We propose that piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation requires a developmentally timed two-factor authentication process. The first authentication is the recruitment of SPIN1–SPOCD1 to the young LINE1 promoter, and the second is MIWI2 engagement with the nascent transcript. In summary, independent authentication events underpin the precision of piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation

A human leukocyte antigen imputation study uncovers possible genetic interplay between gut inflammatory processes and autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental conditions that are for subsets of individuals, underpinned by dysregulated immune processes, including inflammation, autoimmunity, and dysbiosis. Consequently, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-hosted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) has been implicated in ASD risk, although seldom investigated. By utilizing a GWAS performed by the EU-AIMS consortium (LEAP cohort), we compared HLA and MHC genetic variants, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and haplotypes in ASD individuals, versus typically developing controls. We uncovered six SNPs, namely rs9268528, rs9268542, rs9268556, rs14004, rs9268557, and rs8084 that crossed the Bonferroni threshold, which form the underpinnings of 3 independent genetic pathways/blocks that differentially associate with ASD. Block 1 (rs9268528-G, rs9268542-G, rs9268556-C, and rs14004-A) afforded protection against ASD development, whilst the two remaining blocks, namely rs9268557-T, and rs8084-A, associated with heightened risk. rs8084 and rs14004 mapped to the HLA‐DRA gene, whilst the four other SNPs located in the BTNL2 locus. Different combinations amongst BTNL2 SNPs and HLA amino acid variants or classical alleles were found either to afford protection from or contribute to ASD risk, indicating a genetic interplay between BTNL2 and HLA. Interestingly, the detected variants had transcriptional and/or quantitative traits loci implications. As BTNL2 modulates gastrointestinal homeostasis and the identified HLA alleles regulate the gastrointestinal tract in celiac disease, it is proposed that the data on ASD risk may be linked to genetically regulated gut inflammatory processes. These findings might have implications for the prevention and treatment of ASD, via the targeting of gut-related processes

The relational shift in urban ecology: from place and structures to multiple modes of coproduction for positive urban futures

This perspective emerged from ongoing dialogue among ecologists initiated by a virtual workshop in 2021. A transdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners conclude that urban ecology as a science can better contribute to positive futures by focusing on relationships, rather than prioritizing urban structures. Insights from other relational disciplines, such as political ecology, governance, urban design, and conservation also contribute. Relationality is especially powerful given the need to rapidly adapt to the changing social and biophysical drivers of global urban systems. These unprecedented dynamics are better understood through a relational lens than traditional structural questions. We use three kinds of coproduction—of the social-ecological world, of science, and of actionable knowledge—to identify key processes of coproduction within urban places. Connectivity is crucial to relational urban ecology. Eight themes emerge from the joint explorations of the paper and point toward social action for improving life and environment in urban futures