Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticle Using Moringa Oleifera Seeds Extracts

Nanotechnology deals with materials in nanoscale that exhibit incredible chemical, physical and biological properties. This study is aimed at synthesizing silver nanoparticles from Moringa oleifera seed using aqueous and ethanol as solvents and compare their antioxidant as well as antimicrobial activities of these two synthesized nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to preliminary characterization using UV- spectroscopy to ensure their formation which were confirmed by attaining the plasmon resonance surface of both particles at 320nm. Standard assay for antioxidant scavenging of ferric ion and DDPH were employed and standard methods for drop plate technique, minimum inhibition concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations were used. The results indicate that silver nanoparticles synthesized from ethanol extract (EEMS) has excellent ferric ion scavenging activity compared to silver nanoparticles synthesized from aqueous extract (AEMS), while AEMS has 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging potential compared to EEMS. Both nanoparticles show the antimicrobial efficiency were dose dependent but more inhibition zone was observed on EEMS using drop plate technique at 25mg/dl against all the organisms used (S. aureus, E. coli and C. albican). And in minimum inhibition concentrations, the result shows both particles inhibit the growth of all organisms at 6.25 µg/dl except against E. coli which is at 12.5 µg/ml by EEMS. Similarly, minimum bactericidal / fungicidal concentrations were the same in all organisms at 12.5 µg/ml except against C. albican which was at 6.25 µg/ml by EEMS. The finding revealed that both EEMS and AEMS are good antioxidants and antimicrobial agents and their activities are concentration dependent

Mediation Role of Perceived Benefit in the Relationship between Perceived Government Support, Religiosity, Awareness and the Acceptance of Islamic Microfinancing in Nigeria

Social Exchange Theory highlights the possible mediating role perceived benefit in social and economic relationships, however, extent literature falls short is validating such theoretical insights in the context of Islamic microfinance. Following this theoretical insights the mediating role of perceived benefit on the relationship between perceived government support, religiosity, awareness and intention to accept Islamic micro-financing was examined. Quantitative research design through data collected from smallholder farmers in Jigawa state was employed; the data was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The finding revealed that perceived benefit mediates the relationship between perceived government support, religiosity, awareness and intention to accept Islamic micro-financing. It implied that perceiving the benefit is one of the mechanisms through which government support, religiosity and awareness influence intention to accept Islamic micro-financing. The study expands the understanding of TPB through the support of SET to explain the mediating effects of perceived benefits in the context of Islamic micro-financing. Thus, it will benefit policymakers in understanding that perceived benefit of Islamic micro-financing is a key to its acceptance, hence, the need for awareness campaigns, support services and religious preaching to that end. Implementing the finding will not only solve problem of access to finance among the smallholder farmers but also ease life through employment generation and poverty eradication. To the researchers’ knowledge, this work could be first to examine the mediating role of perceived benefit in the context of Islamic microfinance among the smallholder farmers with inferences from Social Exchange Theor

The Stochastic SIR Household Epidemics With TI ≡ 4:1 and TI Having GAMMA(a, b) Infectious Period Distribution

Model estimates, their functions are in no doubt affected by wrong choice of the infectious period distribution, TI when the actual one is unknown. This is a misspecification problem which is often accompanied with biased and imprecise estimates. This work does not com- pletely examined this problem but explored the choice of constant infectious period, TI ≡ 4.1 and TI distributed as Γ(2, 2.05) for the household epidemic and then examined their effects on the behaviours of the model functions and quality of its maximum likelihood estimates in order to see if there are considerable disparities in the maximum likelihood estimates and behaviours of the functions giving these scenarios and whether constant infectious period is a reasonable assumption for the stochastic SIR household epidemic. &nbsp

Vegetative propagation of Adansonia digitata (L.) using juvenile stem cuttings, various rooting media and hormone concentrations

Adansonia digitata is an important economic tree species which provides varieties of goods and services but despite this importance, the species is threatened with extinction due to its inability to regenerate under natural condition as a result of dormancy, drought, increased human pressure and other environmental factors. As such, some ex-situ conservation methods are necessary in order to preserve and conserve the productivity of the species. This prompted an investigation into the possibility of vegetative propagation of A. digitata as influenced by rooting media and hormone concentrations using juvenile stem cuttings. Double node stem cuttings were obtained from four months old seedlings and treated with indole-3-butyric acid and indole-acetic acid at 0, 50, 100 and 150mg/L. The treated cuttings were planted into three different sets of rooting media (Top soil, River sand and Saw dust) in a completely randomized design and replicated three times. The cuttings were watered twice a day (morning and evening) with knap sac sprayer. Data was collected on percentage survival, number of roots, length of longest root, total root length and number of leaves. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance. Significantly different means were separated with Duncan multiple Range Tests (P<0.05). The result indicated significant growth differences in the various rooting media and hormone concentrations for the variables assessed. Cuttings dipped in Indole-3-butylic Acid (with a concentration  of 150mg/L) planted in sawdust media (SD/IBA/150mg/L) had the best result of all the variables assessed and therefore recommended for vegetative propagation of A. digitata.Key word: Vegetative propagation, Growth hormone, Rooting medi

Effect of Pressure on Structural, Elastic and Electronic Properties of Perovskite PbTiO3

We study the effect of pressure on Structural, elastic and electronic properties of Cubic and Tetragonal Perovskite using density function theory. The equilibrium parameters obtained are in good agreement with the available literature both experimental and theoretical. We found out that there is transition from tetragonal to cubic at a pressure of around 30GPa. Both crystals are stable in the pressure range of this study (0 – 50 GPa), and the stability increases with increasing pressure. The bulk modulus (B), Young modulus (E) and Shear modulus (G) all increase with increasing pressure. The band-gap increases and decrease around (X-Gamma) and (M-Gamma) for the case of Cubic and decrease for the case of Tetragonal Crystal around (X-Gamma), (Z-Gamma) and (Z-X) which converges at pressure of around 30GPa

Effect of harvest time on essential oil composition of Chromolaena odorota (L.) leaves from Nigeria .

Essential oils were obtained from fresh leaves of Chromolaena odorota (L.) harvested at different times of the day (morning and afternoon) by hydro distillation using the Clevenger apparatus.  The oils were analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).  Caryophyllene (6.40%) and aromadendrene (5.56%) were the major sesquiterpenoids in the morning sample while ?- pinene (9.09%) and ?- pinene (5.10%)  were the main monoterpenoids detected. The principal sesquiterpenoids in the leaf oil of the afternoon sample are Germacrene D (4.70%), aromadendrene , ?-amorphene  and ?-muuolene  which were detected in the same amount of 4.12% while the main monoterpenoids detected are ?-pinene  (5.63%) and ?-pinene (4.83%). Key words: Chromolaena odorata, GC-MS, aromadendrene, terpenes, asteracea

Effect Of Position of Substituents on the Exhaustion and Thermodynamic Parameters of 6 Monoazo Acid and Disperse Dyes on Nylon 6

Six monoazo acid and disperse dyes were synthesized using compounds of aromatic amine by diazotizing sulphanilic acid, 4-nitroaniline, sulphanilic acid, and 3-aminophenol. The coupling components used were 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol. The different properties of the dyes such as molecular structure, molar extinction coefficient, and percentage exhaustion were determined. The thermodynamic parameters of the four dyes on nylon fabrics were also determined. The results showed that the dyes have very good extinction coefficient, thus can be of commercial significance. The standard affinities of the dyes on nylon varied between 8.59 kJmol-1to 25.51 kJmol-1implying very high equilibrium % exhaustion. The implication of the standard affinities is that dye with -Dm0 25.51kJmol-1 has the highest % exhaustion, which means that there are correlation between standard affinity of a dye on fabric and the equilibrium exhaustion.   Keywords: Monoazo acid, disperse dye, Diazotization, Exhaustion, Extinction coefficient, Thermodynamic parameters, Standard affinitie

Titrimetric Determination of Calcium Content of Some Staple Foodstuffs in North-Central Nigeria

This work  investigates the calcium content of one hundred and sixty-two samples of locally produced and commonly consumed food items collected from six towns in North-Central Nigeria. The samples were analysed in triplicates using the method of EDTA titration. The highest mean level of calcium was obtained in melon (220 mg/100g) followed by water leaf (173 mg/100g), then white beans (152 mg/100g), okro(118 mg/100g), gari (106 mg/100g), maize (49 mg/100g), yam (42 mg/100g), rice (35 mg/100g) and (25 mg/100g). These results were compared with values reported in the literature. Keywords: calcium, staple foods, EDTA titration, gari, water leaf, North-central Nigeri

Prevalence and pattern of hyperuricemia in a survey among inhabitants of Sokoto metropolis, north western Nigeria

Objective. Hyperuricemia is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases. Studies have revealed links between urate, cardiovascular events and metabolic syndrome with considerable ethnic and geographical variation. Although clinical features may develop in persons with hyperuricemia, more than 60% remain symptomatic. There are no definite criteria for therapeutic intervention in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. The study attempts to determine the prevalence and pattern of hyperuricemia among inhabitants of Sokoto in a bid to identify associated factors and threshold for rational therapy.Methods. A cross sectional survey of 161 adults in which demographic indices including physical examination, anthropometric measurements were obtained with urine and blood samples taken for analysis. Statistical evaluation was done, using SPSS version 16 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL)Results. Hyperuricemia was documented in 20.5%, with male to female ratio of 2:1 and higher mean urate level in males. Urate level increased with age; ranging from 5.0mmol/L±1.8 among 20-29 years to 6.5mmol/L±1.6 in those aged 50-59 years. Systemic hypertension, type 2 DM, Obesity and kidney dysfunction were commoner among normouricemic than hyperuricemic subjects.Conclusions. Hyperuricemia is common, especially among male gender and advancing age. The association between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular events remains a contentious issue as prevalence of type 2 DM, obesity and kidney dysfunction were similar in hyperuricemic and normouricemic subjects. We could not determine threshold to commence treatment for elevated uric acid level. A larger population and multicentre research is required to prove a link between hyperuricemia and some components of metabolic syndrome.Keywords: Hyperuricemia, Prevalence, Pattern, Sokoto, Nigeri

Correlation between Thermodynamic Parameters and % Exhaustions of Some Carboxylated Reactive Dyes on Silk

Nine dyes having various functional groups were synthesized and applied on silk fabric. The equilibrium exhaustions %E of the dyes on silk were determined. From this the thermodynamic parameters such as partition coefficient K, and standard affinity, ??? which is a driving force behind the dyeing process are determined. There is a strong correlation between the %E and the thermodynamic parameters values on one hand and effect of aftertreatment on the thermodynamic parameters on the other hand. Keywords : exhaustion, aftertreatment, partition coefficient, standard affinities, thermodymanic parameters