Lithological Examination and Resistivity Trend Pattern Investigation of Groundwater Research in Philipa Idogho Campus Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi

The ground water research venturing is very vital for creating and providing artificial surface water availability based on the scientific method of drilling. The paper examined the empirical trend analysis of VES (Vertical Electrical Sounding) of Auchi Polytechnic Ground Water Project 2011 to establish the variation and existence in the ground water, based on lithology, resistivity and the chemical components present. The pattern of the VES resistivity showed that the apparent resistivity value for the saturated layers is fairly low indicating good aquifers. In addition, a suitable drilling rig that can effectively drill to the required specifications and depth should be mobilized to the site for the project. The entire (On-the-site) drilling process should be supervised and documented by a competent and professional geologist and/or hydro-geologist who should also determine the final and terminal depth of the borehole at the site. Total drilled depth of 197m (650ft) is recommended. Keywords: Lithology, VES, Geophysical survey, Ground water, Auchi Poly, Tren

Recording long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission by three-dimensional multi-electrode arrays

BACKGROUND: Multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) have become popular tools for recording spontaneous and evoked electrical activity of excitable tissues. The majority of previous studies of synaptic transmission in brain slices employed MEAs with planar electrodes that had limited ability to detect signals coming from deeper, healthier layers of the slice. To overcome this limitation, we used three-dimensional (3D) MEAs with tip-shaped electrodes to probe plasticity of field excitatory synaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the CA1 area of hippocampal slices of 129S5/SvEvBrd and C57BL/6J-Tyr(C-Brd )mice. RESULTS: Using 3D MEAs, we were able to record larger fEPSPs compared to signals measured by planar MEAs. Several stimulation protocols were used to induce long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic responses in the CA1 area recorded following excitation of Schäffer collateral/commissural fibres. Either two trains of high frequency tetanic stimulation or three trains of theta-burst stimulation caused a persistent, pathway specific enhancement of fEPSPs that remained significantly elevated for at least 60 min. A third LTP induction protocol that comprised 150 pulses delivered at 5 Hz, evoked moderate LTP if excitation strength was increased to 1.5× of the baseline stimulus. In all cases, we observed a clear spatial plasticity gradient with maximum LTP levels detected in proximal apical dendrites of pyramidal neurones. No significant differences in the manifestation of LTP were observed between 129S5/SvEvBrd and C57BL/6J-Tyr(C-Brd )mice with the three protocols used. All forms of plasticity were sensitive to inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. CONCLUSION: Principal features of LTP (magnitude, pathway specificity, NMDA receptor dependence) recorded in the hippocampal slices using MEAs were very similar to those seen in conventional glass electrode experiments. Advantages of using MEAs are the ability to record from different regions of the slice and the ease of conducting several experiments on a multiplexed platform which could be useful for efficient screening of novel transgenic mice

Groundwater Research and Development Potential in Auchi Polytechnic-Philipa Idogho Campus

The immediate need of water is very vital to every organism therefore its availability and provision becomes very essential to life. As a result this study focused on the provision of quality ground water for sustainability of staff and students of Auchi polytechnic and its environs. It carried out conduction of resistivity sounding at the site and interpretation of the field Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) data to obtain geo-electric parameters. Determination of the hydrogeological characteristics of the subsurface at the site based on geo-electric and available geologic information reveal the possible of water availability. It recommended that a suitable drilling rig that can effectively drill to the required specifications and depth should be mobilized to site for subsequent projects. Keywords: Lithology, Depth, Geological survey, Ground water, ETF, Campu

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and biofilm formation in coagulase negative staphylococci

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Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Clinical Infection and Asymptomatic Carriers in Southwest Nigeria

Few reports from Africa suggest that resistance pattern, virulence factors and genotypes differ between Staphylococcus aureus from nasal carriage and clinical infection.We therefore compared antimicrobial resistance, selected virulence factors and genotypes of S. aureus from nasal carriage and clinical infection in Southwest Nigeria. Non-duplicate S. aureus isolates were obtained from infection (n = 217) and asymptomatic carriers (n = 73) during a cross sectional study in Lagos and Ogun States, Nigeria from 2010–2011. Susceptibility testing was performed using Vitek automated systems. Selected virulence factors were detected by PCR. The population structure was assessed using spa typing. The spa clonal complexes (spa-CC) were deduced using the Based Upon Repeat Pattern algorithm (BURP). Resistance was higher for aminoglycosides in clinical isolates while resistances to quinolones and tetracycline were more prevalent in carrier isolates. The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was more frequently detected in isolates from infection compared to carriage (80.2 vs 53.4%; p<0.001, chi2-test). Seven methicillin resistant S. aureus isolates were associated with spa types t002, t008, t064, t194, t8439, t8440 and t8441. The predominant spa types among the methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates were t084 (65.5%), t2304 (4.4%) and t8435 (4.1%). spa-CC 084 was predominant among isolates from infection (80.3%, n = 167) and was significantly associated with PVL (OR = 7.1, 95%CI: 3.9– 13.2, p<0.001, chi2- test). In conclusion, PVL positive isolates were more frequently detected among isolates from infection compared to carriage and are associated with spa-CC 084

Experimental Characterization of Maize Cob and Stalk Based Pellets for Energy Use

The quest for alternative energy sources is gradually shifting from natural fossil fuel to alternative bio-resources especially agricultural waste products due to their reduced pollution risk and sustainability. This study seeks to investigate the suitability of plant residue pellets to produce biomass. The plant residues investigated include corn cob and corn stalk. Three samples produced include 100% granulated corn cob residues, 100% granulated stalks and a composite of 50:50% granulated corn cobs and stalk residues. The mixed residues were pelletized using cassava starch as a binder. The pellets were experimentally analyzed using ultimate, proximate and calorimetry analyses. Among three sets of maize residue pellets investigated, the result of the cob-stalk 50:50% combination show that it has 0.64% nitrogen, 48.57% carbon, 0.38% Sulphur, 6.22% hydrogen, 55.81% oxygen, 3.25% moisture content, 2.20% ash content, 80.0% volatile matter, 17.80% fixed carbon percentage, HHV of 32.9 kJ/kg, an average CO2 value of 563±50 PPM, an average CO value of 100±50 PPM, an average value of 69±4% relative humidity and an average temperature of 27.5±0.5%. The study reiterates that corn stalk is a good bio-fuel and should be encouraged to address the current energy shortfalls in the country

Experience with full-thickness rectal biopsy in the evaluation of patients with suspected Hirschsprung’s disease

Background and purpose Rectal biopsy is the main modality for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD). In Africa, transanal full-thickness rectal biopsy is commonly performed. We aimed to audit our practice of rectal biopsy in the evaluation of HD.Materials and methods A retrospective review was carried out of the records of children (r15 years) who were evaluated for HD between 2007 and 2011. Clinical presentation, details of the operation, and histologic result were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0.Results Fifty-seven children were evaluated for suspected HD during the period. Thirty-six children underwent a rectal biopsy. There were 29 (80.6%) males and nine (19.4%) females, of which two were preterm. Neonates and infants accounted for 72.2% (n= 26). The median age at biopsy was 90 days (range, 5 days to 9 years). Delayed passage of meconium was present in 64.7%, constipation in 85.7%, abdominal distension in 88.6%, and bilious vomiting in 55.9%. Thirty biopsies (83.3%) yielded a histologic diagnosis. Twenty-six (72.2%) confirmed HD, whereas four (11.1%) yielded normal rectal histology. In six (16.7%), the sample taken was deemed inadequate for opinion. None of the symptoms assessed was associated significantly with a diagnosis of HD, stalling further analysis. Where a single biopsy was taken, 20% (n =5) were inadequate for analysis; where more than one sample was taken, a histologic diagnosis was possible in 100% (n =11). Consultant surgeons and trainees returned inadequate samples in 15.8% (n= 3) and 12.5% (n= 2), respectively. An inadequate sample was obtained in four infants (15.4%) and one child older than 1 year of age (10%). Distance of biopsy from the dentate was not indicated in 63.9% (n= 23).Conclusion No clinical parameter can accurately predict a diagnosis of HD. More than one sample at a sitting may improve the diagnostic yield. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.Keywords: full-thickness biopsy, Hirschsprung’s disease, rectal biops

GC-MS Analysis, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts of the Aerial Parts of Conyza sumatrensis

Phytochemical analyses as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the extracts of C. sumatrensis aerial parts were investigated in this study. METHODS: The aerial parts of C. sumatrensis were air dried, weighed and exhaustively extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol successively. The crude extracts were screened for metabolites.  These extracts of the plant were evaluated for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities using agar  diffusion and DPPH method respectively. The extracts were also analysed using Gas chromatography – Mass spectrometry, and the chromatogram coupled with mass spectra of the compounds were matched with a standard library. RESULTS: Preliminary phytochemical investigation of  rude n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the aerial parts of Conyza sumatrensis revealed the presence of anthraquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, tannin, glycosides and carbohydrate. All the crude  extracts gave a clear zone of inhibition against the growth of the test bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomona aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiellae pneumonae) at moderate to high  concentrations, as well as test fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, penicillium notatum and  Rhizopus stolonifer) at high concentration. Methanolic extract exhibited significant radical scavenging  property with IC50 of 17.08 μg/mL while n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts showed no significant antioxidant activity. GC-MS of N-hexane extract showed a total number of eleven chemical constituents with α-Farnesene and spathulenol being the most abundance compounds constituting 20.27 and 22.28% of the extract respectively. Ethyl acetate extract revealed thirteen  compounds with two most abundant compounds, cis-β-farnesene (16.64 %) and cis-pinane (21.09 %). While  methanolic extract affords seventeen compounds with Ephytol being the most abundant compound  (19.36 %). © JASEMKeywords: Antimicrobial activity, Antioxidant, GC-MS analysis, Phytochemicals, Conyza sumatrensi

Diversity of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in rhizosphere of upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties in Southwest Nigeria

Article Details: Received: 2020-02-05      |      Accepted: 2020-05-07      |      Available online: 2020-06-30https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2020.23.02.42-48 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have the potential to increase crop productivity and play a key role in the functioning and sustainability of most agroecosystems. However, limited information is available on the divervisity of AMF associated with upland rice varieties in Southwest Nigeria. Field survey was conducted to investigate colonization and diversity of AMF in 13 upland rice varieties commonly grown in Southwest Nigeria. Root and soil samples were collected from rice fields in 2012. The results showed natural root colonization of all the rice varieties by AMF with highest root colonization in ITA 157and Ofada. The spore densities retrieved from the different rhizospheres were relatively high, varying from 13 spores in UORW 111 to 174 spores in Ofada with a mean of 67.6 spores per 20 g dry soil. 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