EVALUATION OF TWO-STAGE SUBSURFACE FLOW CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR ABATTOIR WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Abattoir wastewater is high in organic content, the waste recovery and treatment facility is expensive and this results in indiscriminate dumping into streams without adequate treatment. The effectiveness of using a two-stage subsurface flow constructed wetland to treat abattoir effluent was examined in this study. Diluted abattoir wastewater from Lafenwa Abattoir, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria was fed into a two-stage Vegetated Subsurface Bed Constructed Wetlands (VSBCW). The VSBCW consisted of 500 mm deep 10-15 mm diameter granite with 150 mm thick overlay of well graded sand planted with locally available Vetiveria nigritana. Grab samples were collected at selected points along Ogun river and measurement of physico-chemical parameters such as: Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) of the influent and effluent from the VSBCW were carried out. Irrigation with water and diluted abattoir wastewater to examine the variation in plant growth rate was also investigated. The results revealed a pollution load reduction as the wastewater moves away from the discharge point but inadequate to meet the FEPA (1991) standard for wastewater discharge into rivers. The VSBCW was observed to reduce the concentration of BOD5, COD, EC, TDS and TSS in the abattoir wastewater by 88.71, 87.28, 45.72, 56.89 and 72.27 % respectively. The growth rate of the V. nigritana reduced by 1.9% when irrigated with abattoir wastewater. The study revealed that locally available V. nigritana in VSBCW is effective in abattoir wastewater treatment and could be use to curtail the pollution caused by discharge of untreated wastewater into rivers.     &nbsp

Industrial Dioxin as an Endocrine Disruptor: Combined Effects with Hyperglycemia on Male Reproductive Health

Background: Industrial pollutants like dioxins, known endocrine disruptors, pose significant risks to reproductive health, particularly when combined with metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia. This study evaluated the synergistic effects of dioxin exposure and hyperglycemia on testicular function in male Wistar rats. Objectives: To assess the independent and synergistic effects of hyperglycemia and dioxin (TCDD) exposure on testicular function, spermatogenesis, and oxidative balance. Methodology: Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: normal control, diabetes only (STZ-induced), dioxin only, and diabetes combined with dioxin. Fasting blood glucose, body weight, serum testosterone, sperm parameters, oxidative stress markers (MDA and SOD), and testicular histology were assessed. Histological sections were analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Results: Diabetic and diabetic+dioxin groups exhibited elevated blood glucose, though differences were not statistically significant. Body weight increased significantly in the diabetic group but decreased markedly with dioxin exposure. Testosterone levels rose in diabetes alone but were significantly suppressed by dioxin, especially in the combined exposure group. Sperm motility, count, and viability were significantly reduced in diabetic and diabetic+dioxin groups, while dioxin alone paradoxically increased motility and viability. MDA levels were lowest, and SOD activity was severely reduced in dioxin-exposed groups, indicating heightened oxidative stress. Histological analyses revealed pronounced degeneration, germinal epithelium thinning, and extensive interstitial fibrosis in the diabetic+dioxin group, confirming synergistic testicular toxicity. Conclusion/Recommendations: Combined exposure to hyperglycemia and dioxin has a synergistic, deleterious effect on male reproductive health, exacerbating oxidative stress, impairing spermatogenesis, and promoting fibrotic remodeling. These findings underscore the heightened reproductive risks posed by concurrent metabolic and environmental insults. &nbsp

Campylobacter jejuni Modulates Reactive Oxygen Species Production and NADPH Oxidase 1 Expression in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Campylobacter jejuni is the major bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. Mechanistically, how this pathogen interacts with intrinsic defence machinery of human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) remains elusive. To address this, we investigated how C. jejuni counteracts the intracellular and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in IECs. Our work shows that C. jejuni differentially regulates intracellular and extracellular ROS production in human T84 and Caco-2 cells. C. jejuni downregulates the transcription and translation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAPDH) oxidase (NOX1), a key ROS-generating enzyme in IECs and antioxidant defence genes CAT and SOD1. Furthermore, inhibition of NOX1 by diphenylene iodonium (DPI) and siRNA reduced C. jejuni ability to interact, invade, and intracellularly survive within T84 and Caco-2 cells. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insight into how C. jejuni modulates the IEC defence machinery

The unfolded protein response is a critical mediator in Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis and host defence.

Campylobacter jejuni is the major bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide. How this pathogen interacts with the host defence machinery of human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and is involved in pathogenesis remains elusive. Bacterial pathogens utilise strategies to gain access to the eukaryotic cell machinery that can involve subversion of biological processes in host. Unfolded protein response (UPR) is a highly conserved host cell stress response to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is a conserved evolutionary response against invading pathogens. Several bacterial pathogens can induce the UPR for their own survival and thus design a dual scenario where UPR can both protect and facilitate pathogen evasion. Herein, we investigated whether UPR represents a virulence mechanism exploited by C. jejuni during bacterial invasion in human IECs. Our data show that following C. jejuni infection, we observe consistent upregulation of protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme 1α and (IRE1α), with activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) activation occurring in a strain- and cell line-dependent manner. Chemical induction of UPR by thapsigargin in host cells reduced intracellular survival of C. jejuni while conversely pretreatment with UPR inhibitors increased intracellular survival of C. jejuni and attenuated IL-8 release. Finally, we show using C. jejuni mutants that the capsular polysaccharide and flagella contribute to UPR activation in IECs. Collectively, these findings provide observational insights into UPR activation during infections and how C. jejuni infection leads to UPR activation and inflammation, potentially contributing to downstream C. jejuni-mediated damage

Abstract 070: Area Deprivation Index Is Associated With Oral Anticoagulation Provision In Incident Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is a standard of care for stroke prevention in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF). Social determinants of health have had limited investigation in AF and particularly in relation to OAC. We examined the effect of area deprivation index (ADI) on OAC prescription and agent selection (warfarin or direct-acting OAC). Hypotheses: (1) Individuals with AF living in neighborhoods with higher ADI (i.e., higher deprivation), are less likely to receive OAC for stroke prevention than those living in neighborhoods with lower ADI. (2) Among those prescribed OAC, those living in neighborhoods with higher ADI are more likely to receive warfarin as opposed to direct OAC. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with incident, non-valvular AF from 2015-2020 receiving care at a large, regional health center. We extracted demographics, medications, and problem lists and used administrative coding to identify comorbid conditions and relevant covariates, and the Zip+4 to ascertain ADI. We examined the relation between ADI and OAC prescription and selection at 90 days following the AF diagnosis in multivariable-adjusted models. Results: Following exclusions, the dataset included 20,210 individuals (age 74.5±10.9 years; 51% (10,270 of 20,210) women; 94% (19,053 of 20,210) white race. Individuals in the highest quartile of ADI were 13% less likely to receive OAC than those in the lowest quartile (adjusted Odds Ratio [OR] 0.87; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.77-0.98) at 90 days following AF diagnosis. In those receiving OAC, individuals in the highest quartile of ADI were 21% less likely to receive a more modern direct-acting OAC as opposed to warfarin compared to those in the lowest quartile (aOR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99) at 90 days following AF diagnosis. Conclusions: We demonstrate the association of ADI with (1) access to OAC for stroke prevention in AF and (2) likelihood of treatment with a more contemporary direct-acting OAC (rather than warfarin). Our results suggest health inequities in the provision of anticoagulation for stroke prevention in AF in a large, regional health care system. </jats:p

EVALUATION OF TWO-STAGE SUBSURFACE FLOW CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR ABATTOIR WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Abattoir wastewater is high in organic content, the waste recovery and treatment facility is expensive and this results in indiscriminate dumping into streams without adequate treatment. The effectiveness of using a two-stage subsurface flow constructed wetland to treat abattoir effluent was examined in this study. Diluted abattoir wastewater from Lafenwa Abattoir, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria was fed into a two-stage Vegetated Subsurface Bed Constructed Wetlands (VSBCW). The VSBCW consisted of 500 mm deep 10-15 mm diameter granite with 150 mm thick overlay of well graded sand planted with locally available Vetiveria nigritana. Grab samples were collected at selected points along Ogun river and measurement of physico-chemical parameters such as: Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) of the influent and effluent from the VSBCW were carried out. Irrigation with water and diluted abattoir wastewater to examine the variation in plant growth rate was also investigated. The results revealed a pollution load reduction as the wastewater moves away from the discharge point but inadequate to meet the FEPA (1991) standard for wastewater discharge into rivers. The VSBCW was observed to reduce the concentration of BOD5, COD, EC, TDS and TSS in the abattoir wastewater by 88.71, 87.28, 45.72, 56.89 and 72.27 % respectively. The growth rate of the V. nigritana reduced by 1.9% when irrigated with abattoir wastewater. The study revealed that locally available V. nigritana in VSBCW is effective in abattoir wastewater treatment and could be use to curtail the pollution caused by discharge of untreated wastewater into rivers.&#x0D;  &#x0D;  &#x0D;  </jats:p

COEFFICIENT OF STATIC FRICTION OF BENISEED FOR MILD STEEL, PLYWOOD, CONCRETE AND GLASS STRUCTURAL SURFACES

In developing processing machines for plant materials, the frictional property of the seed on structural surfaces of Mild steel (MS), Plywood (PW), Concrete (CC) and Glass (GL) is a parameter which needs to be measured. In this study, the static coefficient of friction of two Nigerian beniseed accessions (Yandev-55 and E8) were determined at moisture content levels of 5.3, 10.6, 16.1 and 22.4 per cent (wet basis). These were used as inputs into designing a beniseed oil expeller. A - 2 x 4 factorial experiment in completely randomized was used for the study. The static coefficients of friction between beniseed and the four structural surfaces increased curvilinearly with increase in moisture content irrespective of the surface employed. The result showed that glass has the least value of 0.32 while for mild steel, plywood and concrete, frictional coefficients with beniseed were between 0.39 to 0.59 within the 5.3 and 22.4% moisture content levels. The effect of moisture content is highly significant on the coefficient of frictions of all the tested surfaces.