Effects of time of meat purchase on the level of microbial contamination of beef from retail points in Samaru market, Zaria-Nigeria

The meat retail selling points are the major places where people usually purchase meat from morning through to evening at retail points in Samaru, Zaria. A total of 100 meat samples were collected from five different retail meat selling points in Samaru market Zaria, Kaduna state. Twenty samples were obtained from each retail point (10 samples in the morning and 10 in the evening). The meat samples were tested for total aerobic and coliform plate counts to determine the effect of time on the level of microbial contamination. The result of the study shows that there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the aerobic plate counts of samples obtained in the morning and those of samples obtained in the evening. Similarly, there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the total coliform counts of the morning and evening samples. This suggests that there were increases in both total aerobic and coliform plates counts from the morning samples compared to evening samples. The minimum aerobic plate counts (6.0 log10 CFU/g) obtained exceeded the permissible value of (5.7log10 CFU/g) while minimum coliform counts (4.7 log10 CFU/g) exceeded the permissible value of (2.7 log10 CFU/g). This is of serious public health concern. It was concluded that there were increases in level of total aerobic and coliform counts in the meat samples obtained in the evening compared to those obtained in the morning and the minimum counts of both aerobic and coliform counts in morning and evening samples exceeded the minimum acceptable level in all the five retail points. The study demonstrated that it is better to purchase meat from retail points in the morning than evening because of the observed increase in microbial loads in the evening samples which increases the chances of meat-borne infection to consumers.Keywords: Aerobic, coliform counts, meat, retail points

Effect of Nanosilica on Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Cement Mortar

Recently, nanomaterials (such as nanosilica) are receiving special attention because of their ability to improve the performance of concrete compared with traditional mineral admixtures. In this work, a number of specimens were prepared to study the behavior of cement mortar containing nanosilica. The cement replacement by nanosilica of 3% and 5% by weight of cement was used. The mechanical and microstructural properties of the specimens were investigated. An experimental result from literature was utilized to predict the transport of chloride into reinforced concrete structures modified with nanosilica using COMSOL multiphysics commercial package. The experimental results show that cement mortars containing nanosilica have higher strength than ordinary portland cement mortars. Also, the SEM images confirmed the improvement in the microstructure of mortar with nanosilica

Comparative study of turbidity removal efficiency of green pea (Cicer arietinum) seed and pod extract for turbid water treatment

Natural coagulants are considered affordable and efficient substitutes to chemical coagulants for use in water treatment. The study investigated the turbidity removal efficiency of pea seed and pod extracts from surface water. Chemical and proximate analyses of pea seed and pod were evaluated. Optimum values of coagulant dose, pH and stock solution concentrations were determined using jar test. Turbidity removal efficiencies and residual turbidity of the coagulant were also evaluated. The highest turbidity removal efficiency was found to be 98% and 97% at 10% w/v stock solution concentration of the pea seed and pod extract respectively. The optimum pH suitable for coagulation of surface was found to be 6.8 and 6.6 at 10% w/v stock solution of pea seed and pod extract respectively. The pea seed and pod extract were found to be most efficient in removing turbidity from surface water at 10% (w/v) stock solution with optimum dose of 1600mg/L. The p-value was found to be 0.99, 0.0156 and 0.33 for Turbidity removal efficiency, pH and Residual turbidity of pea seed and pod respectively. Pea seed and pod turbidity removal efficiencies are statistically insignificant, but their pH and Residual turbidity values are statistically significant. The findings in this study suggest that both the Pea pod and Pea seed extract are effective in water coagulation, but pea seed extract is more effective in drinking water coagulation, while pea pod extract was cheaper and readily available. &nbsp

Kaposi sarcoma coexisting with new onset diabetes mellitus in a 42-year old KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT: A CASE REPORT

Renal allograft recipients develop several complications such as infections and neoplasms. New onset diabetes mellitus is a common transplant complication but rarely coexist with Kaposi sarcoma. Case report: We report the case of a 42-year-old banker who presented with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight loss and dark spots in the lower limbs 8 months after he had received a live-related kidney transplant in India. He is not a known diabetic and had no family history of diabetes mellitus. His post-transplant immunosuppressive drugs included Myfortic® (mycophenolate), tacrolimus and prednisolone. At presentation he was wasted, dehydrated and afebrile, with multiple hyperpigmented nodules and plaques in both his lower limbs. Random blood glucose was 38mmol/l, had 2+ glucosuria and no ketones. Biopsy of skin lesions showed features of Kaposi sarcoma. A diagnosis of post-transplant diabetes mellitus and Kaposi sarcoma was made. His treatment included soluble insulin and antibiotics. Tacrolimus was changed to sirolimus and mycophenolate was reduced to 360mg twice daily. Conclusion: Coexistence of diabetes mellitus and karposi sarcoma occurs rarely among kidney transplant recipients. Evaluation of transplant recipient who developed diabetes for malignancies such as karposi sarcoma will improve patient and graft survival

Comparison of cardiovascular responses following self-selected maximal effort in forward, backward and sideways walking

Humans learned to walk forward in the course of evolution, while sideways and backward walking are considered to be novel tasks. This study compared the cardiovascular parameters during forward, backward and sideways walking of students in a Nigerian University. Fifty apparently healthy young adult students (25.6±2.0 years) were purposively recruited to participate in the study. Participants had their anthropometric characteristics (weight and height) and cardiovascular parameters (heart rate [HR], systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], mean arterial pressure [MAP], pulse pressure (PP) and rate pressure product (RPP), and rate of perceived exertion [RPE]) determined at baseline. Participants’ HR, SBP, DBP, MAP and RPE responses after a 100 meter walk at the subject’s self-selected maximum speed during the different modes of walking were compared using multiple analysis of variance. Significantly higher DBP, MAP (P<0.05) and RPE (P<0.01) for sideways walking compared to backward walking, higher (P<0.01) HR, SBP and RPE for both sideways walkingand backward walking compared to forward walking, and higher (P<0.01) HR, SBP, DBP, MAP and RPE for sideways walking compared to forward walking were found. We also found higher (P<0.01) HR, SBP and RPE for backward walking compared to the corresponding values during forward walking. Overall, findings of heightened cardiovascular responses suggest higher energy expenditure in sideways walking compared to forward and backward walking. We hypothesize that the differential plane of motion and the more prevalent static muscle workin sideways walking may be responsible for the apparently more strenuous nature of sideways walking compared to the other modes.Keywords: Cardiovascular; Energy expenditure; Ambulation; Walking; Motor patter

Selenium Supplementation in Fish : A Combined Chemical and Biomolecular Study to Understand Sel-Plex Assimilation and Impact on Selenoproteome Expression in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Correction Published: February 10, 2016 Acknowledgements This study was supported by Alltech (ZY002 RGF0258) and the Principal’s Interdisciplinary Fund at the University of Aberdeen (award BL900.ROQ0061). Thanks go to the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, which synthesized all the diets used in this experiment. D.P. carried out the experiment and performed all the molecular biology analysis, interpreted the results and drafted the manuscript. C.J.S and S.A.M.M. supervised the experiment, participating in the experimental design and revision of the manuscript. M.M.L. participated in the sampling and performed all the chemical analysis under the supervision of J.F. Pacitti D, Lawan MM, Sweetman J, Martin SAM, Feldmann J, Secombes CJ (2016) Correction: Selenium Supplementation in Fish: A Combined Chemical and Biomolecular Study to Understand Sel-Plex Assimilation and Impact on Selenoproteome Expression in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). PLoS ONE 11(2): e0144681. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144681 The unit used to indicate Selenium concentration appears incorrectly throughout the manuscript. The correct unit is mg Kg-1. The values for Selenium concentrations provided as 0.5, 4, and 8 mg Kg-1 throughout the article are incorrect. The correct Selenium concentrations are 0.25, 2, and 4 mg Kg-1 respectively.Peer reviewedPublisher PD