CD4+ T-Lymphocytes cell counts in adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection at the medical department of a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Objectives: To evaluate the CD4+ cell counts in adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections presenting at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. Methods: This study was carried out at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria, in the period July-December 2006. FMC, Ido, was recently upgraded to serve as the only center for HIV/AIDS referral, diagnosis and treatment in Ekiti State. The center offers free antiretroviral therapy. All patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, either diagnosed at the center or referred from other hospitals, admitted to the medical department within the study period had their blood sample taken for CD4 cell counts estimation at the first visit to the center, as part of the routine workup to assess their disease status and need for antiretroviral therapy. Results: A total of 87 patients comprising of 54 (62.1%) females and 33 (37.9%) males had their CD4+ T-Lymphocytes cell counts evaluated within their first week of presentation. The total mean age of the population studied was 33.17 \ub1 7.01 years. The mean age of the females was 31 \ub1 5.6 years, while that of the males was 36.5 \ub1 8.2 years. The difference between the mean ages of females and males was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). The female: male ratio was 1.6:1. Out of the 87 patients, 30 were referrals from other hospitals within the state. The total mean CD4+ cell count was 230.7 \ub1 311.9 cells/\ub5L. The mean CD4 cell count of females was 212.17 \ub1 264.96 cells/\ub5L, while that of males was 261.0 \ub1 389.19 cells/\ub5L. This difference was not significant (P = 0.4876). Majority of the patients (75, [86.2%]), had CD4 cell count < 350 cells/\ub5L, comprising of 48 females and 27 males. Of the 75 patients, 57 (76%) had a CD4 cell count < 200 cells/\ub5L (33 females vs. 24 males). Conclusion: At the time of HIV diagnosis, majority of our patients had a CD4+ cell count < 200 cells/\ub5L. This was consistent with a relatively advanced disease. More women than men in the population were found positive for HIV. More sustained and vigorous awareness campaigns need be embarked upon in the HIV propaganda in the Ekiti State on one hand and Nigeria on the other hand to bring down this Hydra-headed monster called HIV/AIDS

Efficacy of insect larval meal to replace fish meal in juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer reared in freshwater

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary protein from black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larval meal (BSFL) to replace fish meal (FM) protein in juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer. Larvae of black soldier fly were fed with the underutilised crop, sesbania, Sesbania grandiflora. Five isonitrogenous (44% crude protein) and isocaloric (16.0 kJ available energy/g) experimental diets were formulated to replace FM using processed BSFL meal at 0 (control), 25% (BSFL25), 50% (BSFL50), 75% (BSFL75) and 100% (BSFL100). Data for proximate and amino acid analysis suggested BSFL meal as an inferior protein ingredient than FM, but parallel to soybean meal. At the end of 8 weeks of fish feeding trial, there were no significant differences in the average weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate among the group of fish-fed control, BSFL25 and BSFL50 diets (P < 0.05). Although numerical differences were recorded in the fish whole-body proximate composition, crude protein and moisture content were not much affected by the different dietary treatments. Essential amino acids including arginine, histidine, lysine and methionine were found to be higher in the whole body of fish-fed BSFL100 diet. Broken line regression analysis of average WG showed an optimum FM replacement level of 28.4% with BSFL meal. Therefore, the present experiment clearly demonstrates that the maximal dietary inclusion level of BSFL meal as FM protein replacer for the optimum growth of juvenile barramundi reared in freshwater could be greater than 28.4% but less than 50%, without any adverse effects on the fish whole-body proximate and amino acid composition

CD4+ T-Lymphocytes cell counts in adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection at the medical department of a tertiary health institution in Nigeria

Objectives: To evaluate the CD4+ cell counts in adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections presenting at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. Methods: This study was carried out at the medical department of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria, in the period July-December 2006. FMC, Ido, was recently upgraded to serve as the only center for HIV/AIDS referral, diagnosis and treatment in Ekiti State. The center offers free antiretroviral therapy. All patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS, either diagnosed at the center or referred from other hospitals, admitted to the medical department within the study period had their blood sample taken for CD4 cell counts estimation at the first visit to the center, as part of the routine workup to assess their disease status and need for antiretroviral therapy. Results: A total of 87 patients comprising of 54 (62.1%) females and 33 (37.9%) males had their CD4+ T-Lymphocytes cell counts evaluated within their first week of presentation. The total mean age of the population studied was 33.17 ± 7.01 years. The mean age of the females was 31 ± 5.6 years, while that of the males was 36.5 ± 8.2 years. The difference between the mean ages of females and males was statistically significant (P = 0.0004). The female: male ratio was 1.6:1. Out of the 87 patients, 30 were referrals from other hospitals within the state. The total mean CD4+ cell count was 230.7 ± 311.9 cells/µL. The mean CD4 cell count of females was 212.17 ± 264.96 cells/µL, while that of males was 261.0 ± 389.19 cells/µL. This difference was not significant (P = 0.4876). Majority of the patients (75, [86.2%]), had CD4 cell count < 350 cells/µL, comprising of 48 females and 27 males. Of the 75 patients, 57 (76%) had a CD4 cell count < 200 cells/µL (33 females vs. 24 males). Conclusion: At the time of HIV diagnosis, majority of our patients had a CD4+ cell count < 200 cells/µL. This was consistent with a relatively advanced disease. More women than men in the population were found positive for HIV. More sustained and vigorous awareness campaigns need be embarked upon in the HIV propaganda in the Ekiti State on one hand and Nigeria on the other hand to bring down this Hydra-headed monster called HIV/AIDS

Bio-Economic Assessment of Novel Fish Feed Formulation Software (FUTA AQUAFEEDAPP) for African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) Raised in Recirculatory Aquaculture System

In the current study, data on nutritional composition and cost of conventional and non-conventional fish feed ingredients were gathered, a spreadsheet was created to bank the data. Four fish feeds were formulated and produced using three conventional fish feed formulation methods namely Pearson’s Square feed formulation method and two other conventional fish feed softwares, WINFEEDTM, ALLIXTM and a developed software (FUTA AQUAFEEDAPP); the software was developed using data analytical tools: simple harmonic equation, linear programming and stochastic programming techniques. The nutrient composition of the four diets were evaluated in the laboratory. The result of the proximate analyses indicated that the four diets met the crude protein requirements for African Catfish fingerlings, the values ranged from 40.68±0.62 (Pearson square) to 40.98±0.86 (ALLIX). There were no significant differences in the moisture content, crude protein, crude fibre, crude lipid and NFE across all treatments, however there was significant difference in the ash content across the four diets. The result of the cost assessment across the four treatments were significantly different, it revealed that AQUAFEED had the lowest investment cost ($1/Kg) when compared with the three other treatments, while Pearson Square had the highest investment cost ($1.5/kg) due to the high inclusion of fishmeal in the diet

Electrochemical analysis of nanoporous carbons derived from activation of polypyrrole for stable supercapacitors

In this study, activated carbon was derived from polypyrrole (PPY) using a K2CO3 activating agent with varying mass ratios of the activating agent to PPY polymer (AA:PP), for the optimization of the hierarchical pore structure necessary for improved electrochemical performance. The textural study of the as-synthesized samples (AC-PPY) displayed an increase in the specific surface area (SSA) and pore volume with increase in the amount of the activating agent up to a threshold for AA:PP of 6:1. The increase in the SSA was due to the presence of hierarchical pores in the material structure for efficient ion penetration. Initial half-cell electrochemical tests performed on the different activated carbon samples with varying SSA revealed superior charge storage capability for the 6:1 sample in both negative and positive operating potentials. The highest current response value was obtained from the signatory EDLC-type cyclic voltammogram, along with the longest discharge time from the chronopotentiometry plot as a result of the lowest ion diffusion length for successful fast ion transport reported from the impedance spectroscopy analysis. A full symmetric device (AC-PPY-6) assembled from the best material using KNO3 neutral electrolyte yielded a specific capacitance of 140 F g−1, 12.4 Wh kg−1 energy density at 0.5 A g−1 gravimetric current. An energy density of 7.12 Wh kg−1 was still maintained at a specific current of 2 A g−1. Interestingly, after the ageing test to ascertain device stability, the device energy density increased back to 12.2 Wh kg−1 as a result of the creation of additional active pores within the nanostructured material for charge storage via voltage holding tests which also led to the enhancement in specific capacitance to 137.5 F g−1 at 2 A g−1. A 99.0% capacitance retention was recorded even after 10000 cycles at a moderate specific current of 2 A g−1. A substantial approach was used to elucidate the degradation phenomena from the device self-discharge profile, which showcased the device retaining up to 70% of its operating potential after 80 h (> 3 days) on open circuit. The results obtained demonstrate the potential of adopting the AC-PPY material in potential device for energy storage purposes.The South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, Republic of South Africa, and National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant No. 61056).http://link.springer.com/journal/108532019-04-18hj2018Physic

Synthesis and characterization of porous carbon derived from activated banana peels with hierarchical porosity for improved electrochemical performance

Banana peels, a common fruit waste was adopted as a material precursor in this study to synthesize highly porous activated carbon from banana peels (ABP) which serves as an electrode material for a symmetric supercapacitor device. The activation was done using KOH pellets at different carbonization temperatures ranging from 750 °C to 950 °C. The ABP sample obtained from the 900 °C carbonization temperature (ABP900) exhibited unique material properties such as hierarchical porous nano-architecture containing micropores, and mesopores with the highest specific surface area (1362 m2 g−1). Electrochemical performance investigation in different neutral aqueous electrolytes showed that the best response was obtained in NaNO3 for the ABP900 electrode. The symmetric device subsequently assembled using 1 M NaNO3 operated in a potential window of 1.8 V, exhibited a specific capacitance of 165 F g−1 with a corresponding energy density of 18.6 W h kg−1 at 0.5 A g−1. A 100% capacitance retention and columbic efficiency were obtained after 10000 continuous charge-discharge cycles at 5 A g−1. Remarkably, after subjecting the symmetric device to a voltage holding test for 60 h, the specific capacitance was observed to increase from 165 F g−1 to 328 F g−1 with a corresponding increased energy density to about 36.9 W h kg−1 at 0.5 A g−1, suggesting a 98% increase in device energy density from its initial value after voltage holding. Thus, the results reported showcase the ABP900 material as a potential nanostructured porous material useful in the design of high-performance electrodes for stable electrochemical capacitors.The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) of the Department of Science and Technology, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (Grant No. 61056).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/electacta2019-02-01hj2018Physic

Fabrication and Characterization of Clay-Polyethylene Composite Opted for Shielding of Ionizing Radiation

This study fabricated and characterized a self-sustaining hydrogenous content clay-polyethylene composite opted for ionizing radiation shielding. Composites designated A–G were fabricated each containing 0–30 wt% of recycled low density polyethylene (LDPE), respectively. To know the effects of the incorporated LDPE on the morphology, microstructural, compressive strength, thermal property and displacement effect on the vital elements were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), universal mechanical testing machine, differential thermal analysis (DTA), Rutherford backscattering (RBS) technique and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), respectively. The bulk densities of the clay composites ranged between 1.341 and 2.030 g/cm3. The samples’ XRD analysis revealed similar patterns, with a sharp and prominent peak at angle 2θ equals ~26.11°, which matched with card number 16-0606 of the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS) that represents Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide (Al2Si2O5(OH)4), a basic formula for Kaolin clay. The compressive strength ranged between 2.52 and 5.53 MPa. The ratio of Si to Al in each composite is about 1:1. The dehydroxylation temperature for samples ranged between 443.23 °C and 555.23 °C