Alteration of Organic Matter by Gas Flaring Activity: A Case Study of Utorogu Community in Niger-Delta, Nigeria

The Niger-Delta area of Nigeria is endowed with petroleum resources. However, her environment has been degraded through oil exploration activities. The soil has been exposed to serious varying degrees of heat effects due to the flaring of residual gases at the different gas plants/flow stations situated within the various oil producing communities. Several literatures have revealed that heat impacts negatively on soil properties, such as organic matter, total available pools of organic carbon, nitrogen, etc. Although some studies exist on the pollution status of the region, the situation of a number of communities has not been investigated. This study therefore, examined a three year (1998-2000) profile of organic matter, organic carbon, total soil nitrogen and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as a function of distance from flaring epicenter and depth from soil surface within the Utorogu community using standard analytical techniques. Soil samples were collected during the dry and wet seasons at variable distance away from the flaring epicenter (downwind)- 20 m, 200 m, 1000 m and 5000 m respectively; and at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths from the soil surface. The results of the study show variations with depth, season and distance. Across the various years, distance and depths, the mean values of the determined soil properties range as follows; soil organic matter: {Below detection limit-3.63% and 0.66-2.13%; Below detection limit-3.68 and 0.27-2.31; Below detection limit-7.20% and 0.10-2.18%}; organic carbon: {Below detection limit-2.11% and 0.13-1.22%; Below detection limit-2.17% and 0.07-1.30%; Below detection limit-2.20% and 0.11-1.28%}; total nitrogen: {Below detection limit-0.43% and 0.02-0.24%; Below detection limit-0.48% and 0.11-0.36%; Below detection limit-0.51% and 0.09-0.31%}; and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio: {Below detection limit-5.00 and 4.50-6.50; Below detection limit-6.58 and 3.50-6.49; Below detection limit-5.38 and 2.75-5.80}, for both the dry and wet seasons, and for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000 respectively. This study reflects potential environmental impacts of gas flaring within a typical oil producing community. Keywords: Niger delta area, Petroleum resources, Oil producing communities, Downwind, Below detection limi

Future Leader in Sustainable Enterprise — Prescilla Awino

Prescilla is a trainer and a mentor of teenagers and young adolescent women. She successfully managed the Girls Leadership and Advocacy Series (GALS Kenya), a Program of Women Campaign International (WCI). WCI is a Philadelphia based non-profit organization that empowers women globally to actively participate in civil society, political leadership, economic development and peace building

Evaluating W.A.S.H. (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Interventions in Rural Schools Of West Bengal, India

Poor sanitation exacerbates adverse health outcomes such as infectious disease, diarrhea and childhood stunting. People of India suffer from disproportionately high rates of poor sanitation. Diarrheal diseases are preventable and better sanitation can reduce disease transmission through improved access to latrines, hygiene education and clean water. A significant concentration of behaviors related to poor sanitation occurring in India requires sustainability and an assessment of programs working towards improving water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). We assessed the health and environmental impact of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such as Sarboday Sangha and Water for People which implemented WASH projects in about 141 schools in the East Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. In addition, we evaluated 18 of these schools for their sustainability by collecting cross-sectional observational data by surveying school headmasters and photographing between December 29th, 2016 and January 2nd, 2017. The survey was divided into five sections: (1) Health behavior/knowledge; (2) Social-school hygiene education; (3) Hardware resources; (4) Costs; and (5) Governance tracking. Interviews were aided by a translator. Data were analyzed using summary statistics and ranking sustainability. All 18 schools reported zero open defecation and improved school attendance largely due to latrines and female sanitary napkins. All but one of the schools reported a hygiene education program. Monthly WASH maintenance costs ranged from 800 INR to 5000 INR. Maintenance funding was reported as the largest need. The school WASH interventions improved sanitation knowledge and behavior, but more funding is needed for maintenance costs to sustain the interventions

Microbiological and chemical assessment of spring water from a rural setting in Ondo State Southwest, Nigeria

Assessment of spring water from Ikare-Akoko, a rural setting in southwest, Nigeria for microbial and chemical contaminants was carried out. Total heterotrophic bacteria count of 4.0 x 106 CFU/mL was highest during the peak of the rainy season in Omi-idu spring (Igbede community) while the lowest population of 0.14 x106 CFU/mL was in Agadagidi spring (Ishakunmi community). The highest coliform population of 2.8 x 106 CFU/mL was at Isunpaiye (Oyinmo community), while the lowest value of 0.19 x106 CFU/mL was recorded at Agadagidi (Ishakunmi). The multiple tube fermentation technique was employed to determine the most probable number (MPN) of coliforms per 100 mL of water sample. The highest MPN/100 mL value of 76 ± 2.1 for coliforms was recorded at Isunpaiye while the lowest value of 5.1 ± 2.1 was in Agadagidi spring. Physico-chemical properties of the spring waters were mostly within the WHO benchmark for potable water. Arae had the highest total dissolved solids (TDS) value of 969 mgL-1 (benchmark, 500 mg/L), total hardness values were normal except at Arae (260 mg/L). Heavy metals levels in the spring water were generally low except in Omi-idu spring.Key words: Rural setting, spring water, heterotrophic bacteria, coliform bacteria, physico-chemical properties, heavy metals

Financial Inclusion And Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises (Msmes) Development In Nigeria

This study investigated the effect of financial inclusions of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) development in Nigeria. The methodology adopted for evaluation of the model is the multiple linear regression method. This choice of method is necessitated by the nature of the study which in this case is an analysis of relationship among variables. The statistical methods used included Unit root test, the Co-integration test and error correction model. Data was sourced from CBN statistical Bulletin 1981-2019. The results show that, whereas financial inclusion positively and significantly impacts the operations and development of MSMEs, distance to financial services, access points and infrastructural deficiency challenged fast and effective access to financial services by MSMEs in Nigeria. The study recommends that deliberate efforts should be made to spread access points to more rural areas and improve infrastructure to promote FI. This should include a policy roadmap for expanding financial services access points to unbanked and underserved areas using the financial services geospatial ma

Molecular modeling, dynamics simulation and characterization of human inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (IP6K1) related to diabetes

Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase-1 (IP6K1) protein plays an important role in insulin signaling producing IP7 that inhibit the action of protein kinase B (Akt). Inhibition of IP6K1 has been proposed as a novel way to enhance insulin signaling. Characterization and binding interaction of IP6K1 is essential for rational anti-diabetic drug development targeting this protein. Computational tools were used to analyze the physicochemical characteristics of IP6K1. Homology modelling reliably predicts the tertiary structure of IP6K1. Derived three-dimensional models werethen used to predict the binding mode and interacting amino acid residues. MD simulation (30 ns) was employed to investigate the protein dynamics. The modeled IP6K1 exhibited secondary characteristics comprising of 63.3% helixes, 30.2% sheets and 13.4% turns with an aliphatic index of 65.83 and instability index 50.53 showing that the protein is relatively unstable without its appropriate environment. The extinction coefficient was 34560 while the grand average of hydropathicity was −0.724. Homology modelling was performed by SWISS-MODEL program and the proposed model was evaluated as reliable based on RAMPAGE’s Ramachandran plot, and ProSA analyses. RMSD, RMSF, Rg revealed that the protein attained stability around 20ns. This appeared to be the first attempt to portray molecular dynamic simulation of IP6K1 coupled with modeling and thorough characteristic analysis of the protein using parameters like Ramachandran plot, Chou and Fasman Secondary Structure prediction and Protparam. Studies like protein engineering, structure and function as well as activity analysis are suggested. Our computational studies reavealed the binding pocket and critical amino acid residues that can be exploited in the design of inhibitors of IP6K1 as antidiabetic drugs.Keywords: Insulin signaling, physicochemical characteristics, homology modelling, diabete

The Numbers Behind Mushroom Biodiversity

Fungi are among the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth. with a global diversity estimated at 0.8 million to 5.1 million species. They play fundamental ecological roles as decomposers, mutualists, and pathogens, growing in almost all habitats and being important as sources of food and health benefits, income, and to maintain forest health. Global assessment of wild edible fungi indicate the existence of 2327 useful wild species; 2166 edible and 1069 used as food; 470 medicinal species. Several million tonnes are collected, consumed, and sold each year in over 80 countries. The major mushroom-producing countries in 2012 were China, Italy, USA, and The Netherlands, with 80% of the world production, 64% of which came from China. The European Union produces 24% of the world production. Italy is the largest European producer, Poland is the largest exporter, UK the largest importer.Fungi are difficult to preserve and fossilize and due to the poor preservation of most fungal structures, it has been difficult to interpret the fossil record of fungi. Hyphae, the vegetative bodies of fungi, bear few distinctive morphological characteristicss, and organisms as diverse as cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algal groups, and oomycetes can easily be mistaken for them (Taylor & Taylor 1993). Fossils provide minimum ages for divergences and genetic lineages can be much older than even the oldest fossil representative found. According to Berbee and Taylor (2010), molecular clocks (conversion of molecular changes into geological time) calibrated by fossils are the only available tools to estimate timing of evolutionary events in fossil‐poor groups, such as fungi. The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiotic fungi from the division Glomeromycota, generally accepted as the phylogenetic sister clade to the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, have left the most ancient fossils in the Rhynie Chert of Aberdeenshire in the north of Scotland (400 million years old). The Glomeromycota and several other fungi have been found associated with the preserved tissues of early vascular plants (Taylor et al. 2004a). Fossil spores from these shallow marine sediments from the Ordovician that closely resemble Glomeromycota spores and finely branched hyphae arbuscules within plant cells were clearly preserved in cells of stems of a 400 Ma primitive land plant, Aglaophyton, from Rhynie chert 455–460 Ma in age (Redecker et al. 2000; Remy et al. 1994) and from roots from the Triassic (250–199 Ma) (Berbee & Taylor 2010; Stubblefield et al. 1987).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

N-Ethyl-N-phenyl{[ethyl(phenyl)carbamothioyl]disulfanyl}carbothioamide

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C18H20N2S4, contains one half-molecule, the complete molecule being generated by a twofold rotation axis. The plane through the NCS2 group [maximum deviation = 0.01 (7) Å] is orthogonal to the phenyl ring, forming a dihedral angle of 89.4 (3)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by intermolecular C—H...π interactions

Association between serum chlamydial antibody levels and tubal infertility in tertiary health facility in South-East Nigeria: a case-control study

Objectives: This study evaluates the association between genital Chlamydial infection and tubal factor infertility in a tertiary health facility in South-East Nigeria.Design: This was a case-control analytical study.Setting: Gynaecology Clinic and Maternity Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.Participants: Ninety-six (96) women with confirmed tubal factor infertility served as the cases, and 96 women with normal intra-uterine pregnancy matched in age served as the control.Data Collection/Intervention: A structured questionnaire was used to extract information on the sociodemographic data and the sexual history of the participants. About 2mls of blood was collected, the blood was allowed to clot, and the sera were used for the test.Statistical analysis/Main outcome measure: Pearson Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, likelihood ratio and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine risk associations and identify factors independently related to tubal factor infertility. P-value < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The sociodemographic characteristics of both cases and control did not differ (P = 0.975). The Chlamydial antibody seropositivity was significantly higher in the cases than the control 78(81.2%) versus 13(13.5%) respectively {(P < 0.001; OR (95% CI) = 27.7(12.7-60.2)}. Only lower abdominal pain {(P = 0.011); OR (95% CI) = 4.3(1.4-13.3)}; was independently associated with tubal factor infertility.Conclusion: Tubal factor infertility is strongly associated with chlamydial IgG antibodies, and a history of lower abdominal pain significantly predicted tubal factor infertility