Ecological effect of timber expraction in Ohimini LGA of Benue State, Nigeria

In this study, the ecological impact of timber extraction on the Ohimini Forest in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State Nigeria was investigated using block transects and total counts of both trees and wildlife populations, soil microbe and nutrient analysis as well as questionnaire application. Results indicate that timber harvesting in the area has led to significant reduction in plant and animal population and lead to reduction in their diversity. It also indicated that logging leads to decline in soil nutrient availability and micro-flora composition. The socio-economic status of the human settlements around the forest land were also compromised

Higgs bosons of a supersymmetric E6E_6 model at the Large Hadron Collider

It is found that CP symmetry may be explicitly broken in the Higgs sector of a supersymmetric $E_6$ model with two extra neutral gauge bosons at the one-loop level. The phenomenology of the model, the Higgs sector in particular, is studied for a reasonable parameter space of the model, in the presence of explicit CP violation at the one-loop level. At least one of the neutral Higgs bosons of the model might be produced via the $WW$ fusion process at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, JHE

Influence of Third Cemetery Location on the Quality of Domestic and Groundwater Resources in Benin City, Nigeria

The present study investigates impact of burial practices on water quality in Benin City, Nigeria by collecting groundwater samples from boreholes located by the peripheral area of Third Cemetery in Benin City and a reference site approximately 4 km away using standard methods. With the exception of SO4, CaCO3, Fe and DO, the concentrations of other parameters were higher in water samples obtained from the peripheral area of Third Cemetery than that from the reference site. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that pH, Fe, and CaCO3 were differentiating parameters related to reference site, similar condition was attributed to SO4 and Mg for site 2 and Pb, Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn and DO for sites 1 & 3. Cluster analysis (CA) placed the reference site as outlier to other sites. Higher concentrations of Cl, NO3, Na, K and BOD5 in samples obtained by  cemetery peripheral when compared to reference site and positive correlations among these parameters are indications of impacts of decomposing activities in cemetery upon water quality in underlying aquifer. Limiting water quality index (WQI) computation to pH, EC, Cl, NO3, SO4,Na and BOD5 showed that quality of groundwater obtained from cemetery peripheral is not good for domestic uses.Keywords: Cemetery, Groundwater, Physicochemical, Multivariate, Water Quality Inde

Purpura thrombopénique amégacaryocytaire acquis: Penser au lupus érythémateux systémique

L'amegacaryocytose acquise est exceptionnellement décrite au cours d'un Lupus Erythémateux Systémique (LES) à Madagascar. Nous rapportonsla première observation d'un Purpura Thrombopénique Amegacaryocytaire Acquis (PTAA) simulant un Purpura Thrombopénique Idiopathique (PTI)révélateur d'un LES. Il s'agissait d'une femme de 24 ans, sans  antécédents particuliers. Elle présentait un syndrome hémorragique avec une thrombopénie à 10 000/mm3. Le diagnostic de PTI était retenu avant l'hospitalisation. Elle avait reçu une corticothérapie mais ceci n'était pas suivi d'amélioration. A l'unité de Dermatologie, elle se plaignait d'une baisse de l'acuité visuelle. Elle était en bon état général. On retrouvait unetachycardie à 110 bpm, un érythème malaire en verspertilio typique et une pâleur cutanéo-muqueuse. Une hémorragie oculaire bilatérale était objectivée à l'examen ophtalmologique. Les examens paracliniques  montraient une thrombopénie à 31000/mm3, une anémie microcytaire à 48g/dL. Les examens immunologiques étaient non réalisés. Un LES avec atteinte cutanée et hématologique était retenu. Un bolus de corticothérapie était administrée associée à une transfusion sanguine. L'évolution était marquée par l'apparition d'un signe d'engagement cérébral faisant suspecter un neurolupus. Le scanner cérébral révélait une hémorragie  cérébrale avec une hydrocéphalie aigue traitée par un inhibiteur de 'anhydrase carbonique mais le neurolupus n'était pas écarté. L'anémie disparaissait par contre la thrombopénie s'aggravait à 16000/mm3. Lemédullogramme montrait l'absence des mégacaryocytes. L’évolution était favorable après un relais par une Sous un bolus de corticothérapie suivipar la dose de 1 mg/kg/j à dose dégressive à huit mois de suivi. Les atteintes neurologiques, ophtalmologiques et hématologiques étaientcompatible avec le diagnostic d'un LES. La persistance d'une thrombopénie doit faire suspecter une amegacaryocytose. Le myélogramme étaitindispensable pour poser le diagnosti

Detection of mechanical resonance of a single-electron transistor by direct current

We have suspended an Al based single-electron transistor whose island can resonate freely between the source and drain leads forming the clamps. In addition to the regular side gate, a bottom gate with a larger capacitance to the SET island is placed underneath to increase the SET coupling to mechanical motion. The device can be considered as a doubly clamped Al beam that can transduce mechanical vibrations into variations of the SET current. Our simulations based on the orthodox model, with the SET parameters estimated from the experiment, reproduce the observed transport characteristics in detail.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A comparison of the effects of Methylprednisolone Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate and Tenoxicam in the treatment of non-reducing disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint

This clinical study aimed to radiologically and clinically compare the effect of intra-articular injection of methylprednisolone, sodium hyaluronate or tenoxicam following arthrocentesis with that of arthrocentesis alone in patients with non-reducing disc displacement. A total of 44 patients radiographically diagnosed with non-reducing disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) were randomly divided into four treatment groups, as follows: Group 1, arthrocentesis alone; Group 2, arthrocentesis plus methylprednisolone acetate; Group 3, arthrocentesis plus sodium hyaluronate; Group 4, arthrocentesis plus tenoxicam. Maximum mouth opening (MMO), lateral movement, pain severity and tenderness of TMJ and muscles of mastication on palpation were measured before treatment and at 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment. Disc position, presence or absence of disc reduction, level of effusion, joint movement and joint space were also evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before treatment and 6 months after treatment. No significant differences in treatment success were found among the four groups. MRI findings did not vary significantly among the groups, but pre- and post-operative MRI findings varied significantly within all four groups (p<0.001). According to the data from this study, it may be concluded that either arthrocentesis alone or arthrocentesis with methylprednisolone acetate or sodium hyaluronate or tenoxicam intra-articular injections are similarly effective and promising methods in the treatment of TMJ with non-reducing disc displacement

The Emergence of Resources Seeking Chinese Firms’ Specific Advantages in Emerging Market

It is argued that the role of the Chinese government to support the cross-border operations of Chinese firms is to assist these firms in overcoming their limited established brands, and their disadvantages in technology and managerial resources, which were also the reasons why such firms decided to enter emerging markets instead of developed markets. This strategic choice is preferred to avoid direct confrontation with established firms from developed countries endowed with superior ownership advantages. Therefore, Chinese resources seeking firms innovate by increasing investment in developing and emerging markets to develop unique ownership advantages for sustainable market development and competitive advantage. This research investigates the ownership advantages of resources seeking Chinese firms in these markets using the OLI theory. The paper contributes to explaining the specific advantages of Chinese MNEs when entering emerging markets. The study applied a two-stage qualitative methodology to examine Chinese firms operating in Nigeria. The first stage included an exploratory study based on interviews with key informants and experts while the second stage included a case study methodology. The study focused on resources seeking Chinese MNEs operating in Nigeria