The Effect Of Urban Runoff Water And Human Activities On Some Physico- Chemical Parameters Of The Epie Creek In The Niger Delta

The Epie creek was investigated for six months from five sampling stations to determine the effects of urban runoff and human activities on some physico-chemical parameters. Variations in the physicochemicalparameters were observed from station to station both in the dry and rainy seasons. These variations were attributed to runoff water and human activities in the Epie Creek. Although the levels of most of thesephysico-chemical parameters were found to be within the safe limits for drinking water, the mean DO levels were generally found to be lower than septic levels and thus unsafe for fish and other aquatic organisms. The chloride, sulphate, phosphate, nitrate and ammonia levels were found to be higher during the rainy season than the dry season, suggesting that runoff water contributed to their levels in the creek. It was also observed that the levels of TDS, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, potassium, sodium, conductivity, chloride, nitrates, sulphates,ammonia and phosphates in sections of the Epie creek traversing the Yenagoa metropolis were higher than those from the upstream sections. These higher levels were attributed to human activities in the creek. The potential risk associated with the generally low DO levels and the high nutrients have been highlighte

Hepatitis B virus X protein interacts with β5 subunit of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein

BACKGROUND: To isolate cellular proteins interacting with hepatitis B virus X protein (HBX), from HepG2 cells infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). RESULTS: HBV particles were produced in culture medium of HepG2 cells transfected with the mammalian expression vector containing the linear HBV genome, as assessed by commercially available ELISA assay. A cDNA library was made from these cells exposed to HBV. From yeast two hybrid screening with HBX as bait, human guanine nucleotide binding protein β subunit 5L (GNβ5) was isolated from the cDNA library constructed in this study as a new HBX-interacting protein. The HBX-GNβ5 interaction was further supported by mammalian two hybrid assay. CONCLUSION: The use of a cDNA library constructed from HBV-transfected HepG2 cells has resulted in the isolation of new cellular proteins interacting with HBX

PREVALENCE DU PORTAGE ASYMPTOMATIQUE DE TRYPANOSOMES CHEZ LES ETUDIANTS DU MILIEU UNIVERSITAIRE DE WEMBO -NYAMA EN REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO EN 2024

The study based on the search for parasites in the blood and the determination of the prevalence of asymptomatic carriage of trypanosomes, carried out on 59 candidates taken randomly from a population of 159 students, revealed the result of 8.3% of the rate of carried over all students subjected to analyses. This prevalence within an asymptomatic population attracts our attention. Due to their numbers, boys outnumber girls, 41 to 18. Their carrying rates are 6.7% and 1.6% respectively. This could be explained by the greater frequency of boys compared to girls for the sample taken. The study as carried out not only fits with the fight against trypanosomiasis and support for endemic control through massive protozoa screening, but also contributes to the individual diagnosis of trypanosome infection.L’étude basée sur la recherche des parasites dans le sang et la détermination de prévalence du portage asymptomatique de trypanosomes, réalisée sur 59 candidats pris de façon aléatoire dans une population de 159 étudiants, a révélé le résultat de 8, 3% du taux de portage sur l’ensemble des étudiants soumis aux analyses. Cette prévalence au sein d’une population asymptomatique attire notre attention. De par leur effectif, les garçons sont plus nombreux que les filles soit 41 contre 18. Leurs taux de portages sont respectivement de 6,7% et de 1,6%. Ceci s’expliquerait par la plus grande fréquence des garçons par rapports aux filles   pour l’échantillon prélevé. L’étude telle que menée, ne cadre pas seulement avec la lutte anti trypanosomiase et le soutien aux contrôle de l’endémie par le dépistage massif des protozoaires, mais aussi, elle contribue au diagnostic individuel de l’infection a trypanosome

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta