Morphological and molecular characterization of Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks from Nigeria

The association of most tick-borne pathogens with specific tick species has made it imperative that proper identification and characterization of such tick vectors is necessary for the purpose of developing effective tick and tick-borne control strategies. This study was undertaken to identify and characterize Amblyomma species ticks collected from cattle in Plateau State, North-Central, Nigeria. They were morphologically identified using diagnostic characters. Further confirmation and characterization was done genetically using a 460bp-long partial fragment of the 16S rRNA gene amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified fragment was cloned and sequenced for the phylogenetic dendogram. All the examined ticks were identified as A. variegatum which was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis, and phylogenetic inferences showed a 99% similarity and grouping to A. variegatum of African origin. However, the A. variegatum sequences from Nigeria were clustered into 2 groups, but formed a distinct clade from the A. variegatum sequence from Ethiopia. This study was able to conclusively identify and characterize A. variegatum ticks from the study areas by utilizing morphology and molecular genotyping based on sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.Keywords: Amblyomma variegatum, Morphology, 16S rRNA, PCR, Sequencin

Sero-prevalence of human T-lymphotrophic virus 1/2 among HIV-1 infected individuals in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: HTLV–1 or 2 co–infection in individuals infected with HIV–1 can lead to increased morbidity. The shared routes of transmission of HTLV with HIV–1 may increase the prevalence of HTLV among HIV–1 infected population and subsequently affect patient’s management.Methods: Sera were collected from 144 HIV–1 infected individuals attending the highly active anti–retroviral therapy (HAART) clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital between the months of May and August 2016. Sera were tested for anti–HTLV IgM and IgG antibodies to HTLV– 1&2 using the sandwich enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay.Results: Out of the 144 participants tested, 47 (32.6%) and 37 (25.7%) were positive for HTLV IgG and IgM respectively. Twenty–one participants (14.6%) had both IgG and IgM antibodies to HTLV–1&2. Ten individuals were anti–retroviral drug naïve out of which, four and six were positive to anti–HTLV IgG and IgM respectively.Conclusion: Findings from this study revealed that there is high sero–prevalence of HTLV IgG and IgM antibodies among HIV–1 sero–positive individuals in Ilorin. The high rate of co–infection supports routine screening for HTLV–1/2 co-infection among HIV–1 infected individuals in Ilorin, Nigeria so that the purpose of HAART treatment and monitoring of patients to prevent progression to AIDS will not be aborted.Keywords: Human T-cell lymphotrophic Virus, Human immunodeficiency virus–1, IgG, IgM, CD4+ count

A Comparative Kinetic Study of Acidic Hydrolysis of Wastes Cellulose from Agricultural Derived Biomass

Bioconversion of agricultural waste products to produce value-added fuels and chemicals offers potential economical, environmental and strategic advantages over traditional fossil-based products. The kinetics of acid hydrolysis of cellulose isolated from banana skin, cowpea shells, maize stalks and rice husk (agricultural waste) were studied at temperature ranging between 70 \u2013 100\ub0C in a stirred conical flask which served as a batch reactor. The effect of acid concentration on cellulose hydrolysis was also investigated. The results showed that the rate of hydrolysis by virtue of glucose yield generally increased with increase in temperature and acid concentration for all the four agricultural wastes used. The experimental data were fitted to integrated first order rate kinetics and the results obtained suggested a first order rate of glucose formation from four agricultural wastes cellulose used. The activation energies estimated from Arrhenius equation are 39.60 KJ/mole, 38.83 KJ/mole, 44.37 KJ/mole and 34.29 KJ/mole for banana skin, cowpea shells, maize stalks and rice husk cellulose, respectively. These values suggests the ease with which hydrolysis can occur between the four agricultural wastes cellulose

Experimental Optimization of Lead (II) Bioadsorption from Aqueous Solution onto Banana Stalk using Central Composite Design

This study investigated the effect of operating parameters on the bioadsorption process of Pb(II) from its aqueous solution using three Banana Stalk (BS) bioadsorbents [Raw (RBS), Acid Activated (AABS) and Base Activated (BABS) ]. A five-factor, three-level Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied to determine the effects of independent variables (initial metal concentration, contact time, temperature, adsorbent dosage and solution pH) on percentage Pb(II) removal. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the parameters in the experiment. AABS had the highest percentage removal (96.13%) from the preliminary experiment and was then used for the optimisation experiment. Data analysis showed that all the variables significantly affected the percentage Pb(II) removal at p < 0.05. The square of the adjusted coefficient of determination for regression model of percentage Pb(II) removal is 0.9355. Optimum percentage removal of 96.41% was obtained using AABS when the Pb(II) concentration, contact time, temperature, dosage and solution pH were 21.83g/mL, 152.21minutes, 50oC, 0.90g and 8.00,  respectively. There absolute error between the experimental and the predicted optimum percentage removal was less than 1%. Keywords: Banana stalk, optimization, bioadsorption, acid, base

Growth performance and blood profile of weaned rabbits fed graded levels of Hevea brasiliensis seed meal as protein source

A ten-week investigation was undertaken to assess the incorporation of Hevea brasilliensis seed meal (RSM) as an alternative to soyabean meal (SBM) in rabbits’ feed. Sixty kit rabbits were distributed at random to four treatments diets and five rabbits replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). The diets consistof a control diet (0% RSM) as well as three experimental diets,containing 25%, 50% and 75% RSM. Results showed that RSM affected (P 0.05) up to 50% SBM replacement, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) were similar (P > 0.05) across the replacement levels. The highest weight gain and best FCR were observed in diets containing 50% and 25% RSM respectively. The highest values of packed cell volume PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cells (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), were noted in Diet 4 (75% RSM). The total protein increased with an increased level of RSM in the diet, while as RSM in the diet increased, the liver enzymes dropped. In conclusion, RSM could effectively replace 50% SBM as protein ingredient in growing rabbits’ diets

Biochar, soil properties, and crop yield.

Among agricultural soil amendment that can enhance crop productivity and soil sustainability is biochar. Hence, two-year field experiments were conducted on a sandy loam Alfisol at Owo, southwest Nigeria, to evaluate the effects of biochar produced from hardwood on soil physical and chemical characteristics, erosion potential, and cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) yield. (e study was a 2 × 4 factorial experiment with two years (2017 and 2018) and four biochar levels (0 (control), 10, 20, and 30 t ha− 1 ). (e treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results indicated that biochar application significantly in both years improved yield of cocoyam and soil physical (bulk density, porosity, moisture content, mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates, dispersion ratio, and infiltration rate) and chemical (soil organic matter, pH, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and CEC) properties and erosion resistance. Soil characteristics and cocoyam yield improved with level of biochar from 0–30 t ha− 1 . When 2018 is compared with 2017 in terms of soil loss, in the amended plots, 2018 reduced soil loss by 7.4, 20, and 73.5%, respectively, for 10, 20, and 30 t ha− 1 biochar, whereas there was an increase of 2.7% in soil loss in the control plot in 2018 compared with 2017. (therefore, an application rate of 30 t ha− 1 biochar is considered as suitable for severely degraded soil because this application rate efficiently improves cocoyam yield and soil properties and reduces soil loss

Factors influencing the mineralization of organic nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur in soils

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Groundwater availability in south western Nigeria

In urban water supply the importance of groundwater has become very obvi­ous to most water supply agencies of the State Governments, thereby resulting in a tremendous increase in well drilling activities. This paper therefore provides a review of avai­lable groundwater information as well as the geological setting of South­western Nigeria. The degree of groun­dwater exploitation in each of the hydro-geological units in the study area is assessed in relation to their hydraulic characteristics. The results of the statistical analysis show that the behaviour of the borehole characteristics is erratic and unpredictable, and that generally the yields from the produ­ctive boreholes are very poor. The contribution of the geology of the area to this erratic behaviour and low yields is also discussed