Effects of Different Concentrations of Biocides on Fungal Populations, Isolated from Biofilms of Corroded Oil Pipelines, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Microbiologically influenced corrosion is a problem commonly encountered in facilities in the oil and gas industries. The present study described fungal enumeration and identification in biofilms of oil pipelines in Oshie flow station in Rivers State and Irri flow station in Delta State, Nigeria using traditional cultivation technique.  The fungal species isolated in biofilms from the two sites are as follows Verticillium dahlae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Penicillium corylophilum, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus paradoxus, Humicola grisae, Aureobasidium pullulans, Monilia balanitis, Hormoconis resinea, Asperillus flavus and Helimenthosporium maydis. The study also focuses on the use of three biocides to inhibit or eliminate the identified organisms in order to minimize the material and financial losses encountered by oil and gas companies, because of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). The performance of three biocides (ozone, sodium hypochlorite and formaldehyde) at the concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5% in eliminating the fungal species isolated from biofilms of oil pipelines in Rivers and Delta States, Niger Delta, Nigeria. It is shown, that formaldehyde, ozone exhibited the best biocidal characteristics and concentrations of 1 and 2 % eliminated almost all the fungal species after 72 hours of contact time. This study is relevant to the problem of microbiologically influenced corrosion as the data may contribute to elucidate which fungal species contribute to the MIC process and to gain a better understanding of the fungal community of biofilms. This study will give us better understanding of the biocide capable of eliminating fungal species in biofilm of oil and gas pipelines. Keywords: Concentration, fungal population, biocides, microbiologically influenced corrosion, biofilm

Detection of Non-Random Galaxy Orientations in X-ray Subclusters of the Coma Cluster

This study on the Coma cluster suggests that there are deviations from a completely random galaxy orientation on small scales. Since we found a significant coincidence of hot-gas features identified in the latest X-ray observations of Coma with these local anisotropies, they may indicate regions of recent mutual interaction of member galaxies within subclusters which are currently falling in on the main cluster.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables v2: Rewritten introduction, amendments to the 'Interpretation' sectio

Dietary elimination of children with food protein induced gastrointestinal allergy – micronutrient adequacy with and without a hypoallergenic formula?

Background: The cornerstone for management of Food protein-induced gastrointestinal allergy (FPGIA) is dietary exclusion; however the micronutrient intake of this population has been poorly studied. We set out to determine the dietary intake of children on an elimination diet for this food allergy and hypothesised that the type of elimination diet and the presence of a hypoallergenic formula (HF) significantly impacts on micronutrient intake. Method: A prospective observational study was conducted on children diagnosed with FPIGA on an exclusion diet who completed a 3 day semi-quantitative food diary 4 weeks after commencing the diet. Nutritional intake where HF was used was compared to those without HF, with or without a vitamin and mineral supplement (VMS). Results: One-hundred-and-five food diaries were included in the data analysis: 70 boys (66.7%) with median age of 21.8 months [IQR: 10 - 67.7]. Fifty-three children (50.5%) consumed a HF and the volume of consumption was correlated to micronutrient intake. Significantly (p <0.05) more children reached their micronutrient requirements if a HF was consumed. In those without a HF, some continued not to achieve requirements in particular for vitamin D and zinc, in spite of VMS. Conclusion: This study points towards the important micronutrient contribution of a HF in children with FPIGA. Children, who are not on a HF and without a VMS, are at increased risk of low intakes in particular vitamin D and zinc. Further studies need to be performed, to assess whether dietary intake translates into actual biological deficiencies

An Economic analysis of the potential for precision farming in UK cereal production

The results from alternative spatial nitrogen application studies are analysed in economic terms and compared to the costs of precision farming hardware, software and other services for cereal crops in the UK. At current prices, the benefits of variable rate application of nitrogen exceed the returns from a uniform application by an average of £22 ha−1 The cost of the precision farming systems range from £5 to £18 ha−1 depending upon the system chosen for an area of 250 ha. The benefits outweigh the associated costs for cereal farms in excess of 80 ha for the lowest price system to 200–300 ha for the more sophisticated systems. The scale of benefits obtained depends upon the magnitude of the response to the treatment and the proportion of the field that will respond. To be cost effective, a farmed area of 250 ha of cereals, where 30% of the area will respond to variable treatment, requires an increase in crop yield in the responsive areas of between 0·25 and 1.00 t ha−1 (at £65 t−1) for the basic and most expensive precision farming systems, respectively

Karakteristik Pantai Pulau Laut-sekatung (Salah Satu Pulau Terluar Nkri)

Pulau Laut-Sekatung adalah salah satu pulau terluar Negara Republik Indonesia yang berbatasan dengan perairan Malaysia Timur. Pulau ini terletak di laut Cina Selatan sebagai bagian dari Kepulauan Natuna dan secara administratif termasuk Provinsi Kepulauan Riau. Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk mengetahui karakteristik dan tipologi kawasan pantai berdasarkan metoda geologi dan geofisika kelautan seperti pemetaan geologi kawasan pantai, pengambilan contoh sedimen, serta data-data penunjang seperti pengamatan pasang surut, pengukuran arus dan batimetri. Berdasarkan metoda-metoda tersebut, kawasan pantai Pulau Laut dapat dibedakan 3 jenis yaitu, pantai berpasir, pantai berbatuan dan pantai berbakau. Pantai tipe I adalah pantai berpasir menempati bagian selatan dan timur daerah penelitian, merupakan pasir hasil metasedimen dan terumbu karang. Pantai tipe II adalah pantai berbakau, menempati bagian tenggara daerah penelitian dan merupakan endapan rawa dengan morfologi pedarataran. Pantai tipe III merupakan pantai berbatuan menempati bagian timur dan utara daerah penelitian, merupakan singkapan batuan metasedimen dan batuan beku berumur Kapur yang berasal dari Formasi Bunguran. Tipe pasang surut di perairan Pulau Laut-Sekatung adalah harian tunggal (diurnal tide). Morfologi dasar laut perairan pantai sebelah barat dan timur berbeda, dimana sebelah barat dari garis pantai morfologinya curam sedangkan sebelah timur morfologinya landai. Perubahan garis pantai dicirikan oleh erosi pantai dibagian barat dan akrasi dibagian timur. Kata kunci: Pulau Laut-Sekatung, pulau terluar, karakteristik pantai The Sekatung-Laut Island is one of the outer island of the Republic Indonesia which bordered with the East of Malaysia waters. This island is located in the South China Sea as part of Natuna island and administratively within the Province of Riau islands. The purpose of this study is to know the characteristic and typology of coastal area. To support this purpose, the geology and geophysical survey method such as coastal mapping, sediment sampling, tide, current and bathymetry measurement have been done. Based on these method, the coastal area of Sekatung-Sea island can be distinguished in to 3 type. Coastal type I is a sand coast which is located in the south and east of the island where sand material is derived from meta-sediment rock and coral reef. Coastal type II is a mangrove coast which is located in the south east of study area. This coast is characterized by swamp deposits, mangrove plantation and plain area. Coastal type III is a rocky coast. This coast is characterized by the steep cliff of Cretaceous meta-sediment and volcanic rock of Bungaran Formation. Tide characteristic of study area is diurnal tide and the maximum current velocity is about 1.6 meter/second and is dominated by north direction. The morphology of water coast at west coast is very steep and in the eastern part is very flat. The coast line change is characterized by the erosion in the eastern part and akrasi to sable coast in the western part. Key words: Laut-Sekatung island, outer island, coastal characteristi

Properties of athletic mouth protectors and materials

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73761/1/j.1365-2842.2002.00831.x.pd

Phytochemical and Nutritive Composition of Uvariachamae P. Beauv. Leaves, Stem Bark and Root Bark

Uvariachamae is employed in African traditional medicine for the treatment of piles, ulcer, sore throat, cough, diarrhoea and urinary tract infection (UTI). In this study, the phytochemical and nutritional composition of root bark, stem bark and leaves were analysed using standard analytical methods. The results of the preliminary phytochemical screening indicate the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, phenols, carbohydrates, while deoxy sugar and phlobatannins were found to be absent in all the plant parts. Anthraquinones, saponins and cardiac glycosides were not found to be present in the leaves. Quantitatively, root bark, stem bark and leaves contained (mg/100 g); alkaloids (3.40, 0.80 and 1.40), cardiac glycosides (0.80, 0.64 and 0.53), flavonoids (6.70, 2.50 and 5.13), phenols (3.20, 4.30 and 1.76) respectively. The proximate composition estimation are: carbohydrate (91.83- 87.76%), caloric value (387.57- 375.87%), fibre (2.93- 2.40%), fat (0.80- 0.50%), protein (3.93- 5.70%), ash (1.30- 5.51%) and moisture (9.43- 79.80%) in the root bark, stem bark and leaves, with the highest carbohydrate and caloric values observed in the root bark. The percentage estimation of the antinutrients content for root bark, stem bark and leaves also revealed hydrocyanic acid values ranging from 0.97 to 1.26, phytate 0.24- 1.54, total oxalate 5.66- 11.40 and soluble oxalates 3.08- 6.38. The present findings suggest that the plant may be a potent site for drugs and food supplement. &nbsp