Effect of particle size on adsorption of heavy metals using chemically modified and unmodified fluted pumpkin and broad-leafed pumpkin pods

The effect of particle size on the bioremediation of Pb(II), Zn(II), Cd (II) and Hg(II) ions from synthetic aqueous effluents using unmodified and carboxymethylated fluted pumpkin and broad-leafed pumpkin pods was investigated in a batch system. 1.2 g of adsorbents was used in each sorption experiment at 25 °C and pH 6.5-8.5 for one hour interval. The results showed that the two adsorbents were good for the removal of these metal ions. Unmodified fluted pumpkin pod was found to be better than the other tested adsorbents with removal efficiencies of 92.62%, 81.88%, 75.21% and 49.67% for Pb (II), Zn (II), Cd (II) and Hg (II), respectively. Carboxymethylation decreased the adsorption capacity of the cellulose materials mostly for fluted pumpkin pod. Particle size below 600 μm was found to be the optimum size for unmodified absorbent, while 600-1000 μm was observed for modified adsorbent. Fluted pumpkin pod was found to be a more effective adsorbent for these metal ions than the broad leafed pumpkin pod especially when unmodified. Therefore these results show that fluted pumpkin and broad-leafed pumpkin pods could serve as very good adsorbents in the treatment of these metal ions from aqueous effluents.Keywords: agricultural waste, bioremediation, heavy metals, pollution control, surface chemistry

Isolation and characterization of resistant gene analogs in cassava, wild Manihot species, and castor bean (Ricinus communis)

Cassava, Manihot esculenta, is one of the major food crops in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) providing the bulk of dietary calories to hundreds of millions of households. Two viral diseases, namely cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) pose a serious threat to cassava production. The emergence of new virus species and strains that overcome the existing resistant/tolerant cultivars entails identification and pyramiding of new sources of resistance using marker-aided selection. The isolation of resistance gene analogues (RGAs) using a homology-based approach can provide useful resources towards this goal. Degenerate primers based on the conserved motif of the nucleotide binding site (NBS) domain from resistance (R) genes were used to isolate RGAs from genomic DNA and cDNA in cassava, wild Manihot species, and castor bean (Ricinus communis). A total of 552 RGAs sequences were identified and deposited in GenBank. Conserved motifs such as P-loop, Kinase-2a and GLPL were present in the NBS domain. This study sheds light on the nature of NBS- leucine-rich repeat (LRR) R genes in cassava and closely related taxa in the family Euphorbiaceae. These candidate sequences mapped to the draft cassava genome with high sequence similarity to predicted NBS-LRR genes. These novel sequences may serve as a stepping stone for further characterization and experimental validation of predicted R genes in the draft cassava genome, ultimately leading to the development of functional gene-targeted markers that can be used in molecular resistance breeding aimed at combating CBSD and CMD

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Inactivated Oil-Emulsion Newcastle Disease Komarov Vaccine against Clinical Disease, Lesions and Immune Response, Following Challenge with Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus in Laying Chickens

Since the first recognition of Newcastle disease (ND) in Nigeria, it has been observed to be enzootic despite the intensive vaccination policy, leading to significant economic losses in the poultry industry. This study evaluated the ability of inactivated oil-emulsion ND Komarov vaccine to protect laying chickens from challenge with a velogenic ND virus (VNDV). Two hundred and forty pullets were randomly divided into two groups of 120 each viz: vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. The vaccinated group was given ND vaccines. At peak production, 32-weeks of age, vaccinated and unvaccinated laying chickens were sub-divided into four groups of sixty birds each designated; Vaccinated and challenged (VAC); Vaccinated and unchallenged (VAU); Unvaccinated and challenged (UNC); and Unvaccinated and unchallenged (UNU). Groups VAC and UNC were each inoculated intramuscularly with 0.2ml of a VNDV with a median embryo infective dose (EID50) of 106.46 per ml. Groups VAU and UNU were each inoculated with 0.2ml of phosphate buffered saline. Group VAC showed no clinical signs, no clear lesions grossly and mild histopathologic changes. Group UNC showed severe depression, anorexia, whitish-greenish diarrhoea, nervous signs and necrosis of the organs. All infected groups (VAC and UNC) showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) sero-conversion determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 10 days post-challenge. The inactivated oil-emulsion ND Komarov vaccine not only induced higher immunity, but also conferred long-lasting protection against morbidity, mortality, and severe organ damage in VAC group. This immunization procedure can be recommended for prevention of ND in laying chickens in an endemic environment.Key words: Newcastle disease, vaccine, laying chickens, immunity

Assessment of the effects of building collapse risks on the stakeholders in the Nigerian built environment

The study investigates the effects of building collapse risks on the stakeholders in the Nigerian built environment. Survey research design was adopted in carrying out the research and five cities in Nigeria were selected (Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Owerri and Lagos). The target population for the study is the stakeholders in the Nigerian built environment: key professionals in the construction industry, clients/developers and users of the finished product. A sample size of 1999 was chosen using Taro Yamane method. The data generated from 1860 respondents representing 93 % of the distributed questionnaires were presented using frequency tables, pie –charts and bar charts, while analysis was done using percentages and weighted mean. The findings of the study show that building collapse risks have multifarious factors which were categorized as Economic/Financial risks, Socio-political risks, Human related risks, Physical risks, Environmental risks and Law/legal risks. The negative effects of these risks are: loss of property, loss of reputation and integrity of the contractors, loss of lives, legal tussle among the stakeholders, etc.. It was also found out that economic/financial risks have the predominant effect on the stakeholders, followed by Human related risks, Socio-Political risks, Physical risks, Environmental risks and lastly Law/Legal risks. It was recommended that all hands should be on deck to curb the havoc caused by building collapse as the effect is usually felt by all and sundry. There should be adequate funding and monitoring of the activities of all Emergency Management Agencies.Keywords: Building collapse, Building collapse risks, Stakeholders, Built Environment, Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs), Emergency Management Agenc

Prevalence and risk factors of acute gastroenteritis caused by Rotavirus among children in tertiary hospitals, southeastern Nigeria

Background: Diarrhea is a worldwide problem and rotavirus is the commonest viral etiologic agent. In Nigeria, diarrhea causes more than 315,000 deaths of preschool-age children annually. In Ebonyi State, it is among the leading causes of pediatric emergency visits and one of the major causes of infant morbidity and mortality. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and associated risk factors of acute gastroenteritis due to rotavirus infection among under-five children in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study of 275 children under 5 years of age hospitalized for acute watery diarrhea, who were consecutively recruited into the study. Stool samples were collected from each child for rotavirus antigen detection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Socio-demographic information of each child and selected risk factors were collected using structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done on SPSS software version 20.0, and association of demographic characteristics and risk factors with rotavirus diarrhoea was measured using Chi-square test, odds ratio (and 95% confidence interval). Significant value was set at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea among children under 5 years of age in this study was 26.5% (73/275). Aside from educational level of the mothers, there was no significant association between any of the sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of rotavirus diarrhoea (p>0.05). Although the prevalence of diarrhoea in the children was lower with the use of maize gruel (pap) as weaning feed (26.3%, 71/270) compared to the use of other complementary feeding such as ‘Cerelac’ and ‘NAN’ (40%, 2/5), this association did not reach a significant level(OR=0.5352, 95% CI=0.0875-0.3270, p=0.6110), probably due to the small number of children weaned using other complementary feeds. Conclusion: The relatively high prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea in children under 5 years of age in this study is an indication of the need for the parents/guardians of these children to improve child feeding hygiene

Hiraeth, or queering time in archives otherwise

Archives are the physical manifestations of our collective understanding of history, a way of proving and so legitimising the existence of cultures, practices, and peoples. However, for queer and trans people of colour (QTPOC), entrance into the archive is not easily permitted; the truths of their lives have been, and are presently, excluded, claimed as contingent and/or rendered “folk”—lesser forms of knowledge. “Hiraeth” is a Welsh word that is difficult to translate into English. It speaks of a longing or homesickness for a place that is no longer, or never was. For QTPOC, the archive is this, a hiraeth space. We use “hiraeth” to describe the liminal space in which experiences of home, media practices, and a relationship to the archive can exist. As two Black queer artists who in their work have been exploring ways to implode the archive, in this article we look at how our practices can expand what the archive holds and further provide a space to render the untranslatable, the im/possible, as archive material. It is a strategy of both redefinition and defiance

Toxicological Impacts of Gas flaring and Other Petroleum Production Activities in Niger-Delta Environment

In this study, the concentrations of inducers of environmental toxicity such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and biomarkers of environmental toxicants such as oxidative stress enzymes/compounds and liver function enzymes were determined. These parameters were used to assess the pollution status of some Niger-Delta areas; Ebocha/Omoku, Abacheke/Egbema, and Okwuzi/Ohaji, with the aid of two indicator species: cat fish (Ictalurus punctatus) and snakehead fish (Channa argus) from three different water sources; Ebocha/Omoku river, Abacheke river and Okwuzi creek all of which are within the area of oil exploration and production activities in Nigeria. The control fish and water samples were collected from Otamiri River within the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria, with no known oil exploration and production activity. The results obtained indicated significant (p < 0.05) differences between the exploited and the unexploited environment and the need to incorporate biochemical markers in environmental impact assessment of aquatic environments to complements the classical chemical monitoring.Â

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL, MATERIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH Chemical Analyses of Sex Pheromones from the Abdominal Glands of Bitter Leaf Weevil (Lixus camerunus)

Abstract Sex pheromones from the abdominal glands of bitter leaf weevil (Lixus camerunus) were extracted with petroleum ether and fifteen pheromonal compounds were characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy techniques. The compounds identified were 2,4-dimethylpentane (1.90 %), 2,7-dimethyloctane (3.73 %), 1,6-dimethylpiperidin-3-one (5.62 %), decane (3.51 %), hexadecanoic acid (6.79 %), [S-(Z)]3,7,11-trimethyl-1,6,10-dodecatrien-3-ol (17.18 %), cyclopropanepentanoic acid-2-undecyl-methyl ester (7.86 %), methyl decanoate (1.35 %), (5Z)-tetradec-5-ene (10.76 %), 2-butyloctan-1-ol (3.64 %), (11E)-tridec-11-en-1-ol (3.15 %), (2E)-tridec-2-enal (10.46 %), (2E,6E)-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1-ol (13.18%), (2Z,5Z)-pentadeca-2,5-dien-1-ol (7.25%) and 5-(2-methylidenecyclopropyl)pentan-1-ol(3.61%). The FT-IR analysis of the extract showed peaks at 1464.02, 1647.26, 2925.15 and 3423.76 cm -1 indicating the presence of alkane, alkene, alcohol and carboxylic acid compounds, respectively. These compounds consisted 48.01 % alcohol, 19.90 % hydrocarbon, 10.46 % aldehyde, 9.21 % ester, 6.79 % fatty acid and 5.62 % ketone. The highest component was 11-trimethyl-1,6,10-dodecatrien-3-ol (nerolidol) followed by 11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1-ol (farnesol). L. camerunus is a major pest of the bitter leaf plant (Vernonia amygdalina) which is cultivated and consumed voraciously as vegetable in Nigeria. These pheromone compounds might artificially be used to lure and mass trap the weevils in pest control management thereby increasing the yield and quality of bitter leaf vegetable grown in Nigeria. This investigation has shown that the sex pheromones derived from the abdominal glands of L. camerunus are mostly alcohols, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, esters and fatty acids

Temperature Forecasting as a Means of Mitigating Climate Change and Its Effects: A Case Study of Mali

Temperature forecasts and trend analyzes were carried out for several locations in Mali as an important tool for warning of potentially threatening weather events such as severe heat waves, storms, droughts and floods, which could pose a great risk to humans and their environment. Five locations (Segou, Sikasso, Kayes, Gao and Taoudenni) across Mali (170 00’N – 40 00’W) were chosen for this research work. Satellite data of annual temperature obtained from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) database for 35 years (1985-2019) was used for this work. The Mann-Kendall trend test was carried out for various locations to observe and study the trend. Four Models including Auto Regressive and Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Exponential smoothening (ETS), TBATS (Trigonometric seasonality, Box-Cox transformation, ARMA errors, Trend and Seasonal components) and the linear model were employed to forecast average temperature for 10 years for all the locations. The model that produces the best forecast at the 95% confidence level is expected to have the lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value. The results showed that no significant trends were recorded at the considered locations. The linear model produced the best forecast for Segou, Kayes and Taoudenni, while the TBATS model produced the best forecast for Gao and the ARIMA model produced the best forecast for Sikasso.Citation: Billy, U., Udo, S., Ewona, I., Umoh, M., & Mfongang, A. (2023). Temperature Forecasting as a Means of Mitigating Climate Change and Its Effects: A Case Study of Mali. Trends in Renewable Energy, 9(2), 167-179. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.17737/tre.2023.9.2.0015

Spatial Variability of VHF FM Radio Signals with Surface Refractivity Values in Niger State, Nigeria

Radio refractivity N exerts considerable influence on radio signals at Very High Frequency (VHF) and higher frequency bands. In particular, surface refractivity correlates positively with radio field strength, and knowledge of its temporal and/or spatial variability is important in predicting performance of terrestrial radio networks, especially at VHF frequencies. In this work, measurement of electric field strength of Frequency Modulated (FM) radio signals in Niger State, Nigeria was carried out at the onset and peak of the wet season; variation of surface radio refractivity was obtained in Minna, Niger State based on concurrent measurement of surface air temperature, pressure and relative humidity. Variation of electric field strength of FM radio signals in the wet season is found to agree in general with the observed variation of surface radio refractivity, Ns, in Niger State, Nigeria. Keywords: Electric field strength, surface radio refractivity, propagation