Chaetopterid tubes from vent and seep sites: Implications for fossil record and evolutionary history of vent and seep annelids

Vestimentiferan tube worms living at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps have been considered as a clade with a long and continuing evolutionary history in these ecosystems. Whereas the fossil record appears to support this view, molecular age estimates do not. The two main features that are used to identify vestimentiferan tubes in the fossil record are longitudinal ridges on the tube's surface and a tube wall constructed of multiple layers. It is shown here that chaetopterid tubes from modern vents and seeps—as well as a number of fossil tubes from shallow-water environments—also show these two features. This calls for a more cautious interpretation of tubular fossils from ancient vent and seep deposits. We suggest that: current estimates for a relatively young evolutionary age based on molecular clock methods may be more reliable than the inferences of ancient “vestimentiferans” based on putative fossils of these worms; not all of these putative fossils actually belong to this group; and that tubes from fossil seeps should be investigated for chitinous remains to substantiate claims of their potential siboglinid affinities

Effects of Modifying Agents on the Dyeability of CottonFabricusing Malachite Green Dye

Changes in thermodynamic parameters as a result of modifying agents on dye uptake of cotton fabric using malachite green (MG) dye was investigated in this study. Five modifying agents {Acetic acid (CH3COOH), hydrated Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3.10H2O), Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Ammonium sulphate ((NH4)2SO4) and Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)} were used on cotton fabric. The equilibrium exhaustions (%E) were determined before and after modification of the cottonfabric at different concentrations which were 88.24%, 80%, 77.14%, 65.10% and 30.88% for CH3COOH, NaCl, (NH4)2SO4, Na2CO3.10H2O and H2O2respectively. The results also showed a correlation between the standard affinity(-Δμθ) of dye on cotton fabric and the equilibrium exhaustion. The values of entropy (ΔSθ) and enthalpy (ΔHθ) change revealed the feasibility (spontaneity) and exothermic nature of the reaction. The optimum parameters were attained in acidic solution (CH3COOH) at the highest temperature (70 oC) of dyeing as it showedthe highest % efficiencyof 88.24%. This work established that modification of cotton fabric with modifying agents is one of the best route to improve the affinity between dye and fabric as it reduces stress, amount of dyes wasted in dyeing, time requiredto achieve satisfactory results leading to a cost effective environmental friendly approach in the field of cotton dyein

Preparation and characterization of a novel adsorbent from Moringa oleifera leaf

A new and novel adsorbent was obtained byimpregnation ofMoringa oleiferaleaf in H2SO4andNaOH, respectively. Prepared adsorbents were character-ized using elemental analysis, FT-IR, SEM, TGA and EDXanalyses, respectively. The effects of operational parame-ters, such as pH, moisture content, ash content, porosityand iodine number on these adsorbents were investigatedand compared with those of commercial activated carbon(CAC). EDX results of acid activatedM. oleiferaleaf havethe highest percentage of carbon by weight (69.40 %) and(76.11 %) by atom, respectively. Proximate analysisshowed that the fixed carbon content of acid activatedM.oleiferaleaf (69.14±0.01) was the highest of all adsor-bents studied. Conclusively, the present investigationshows that acid activatedM. oleiferaleaf is a good alter-native adsorbent that could be used in lieu of CAC forrecovery of dyes and heavy metal from aqueous solutionsand other separation technique

Multidrug resistant and Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Proteus mirabilis from tertiary hospitals in four states in southwest Nigeria

Background: Multidrug resistant (MDR) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Gram-negative bacteria pose great threat to antibiotic treatment of life threatening infections worldwide.Objectives: This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of MDR and ESBL producing Proteus mirabilis among clinical isolates collected from tertiary hospitals in four states in Southwest Nigeria.Materials and Methods: One hundred and eight (108) none-duplicated P. mirabilis collected from microbiology units of tertiary hospitals in four states in Southwest Nigeria namely; Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Lagos state, after authentication with standard bacteriological method, were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility test against ten selected antibiotics using disc-diffusion method. Presumptive  production of ESBL was determined by double disc synergy test among isolates with MDR phenotype that showed resistance to any of the third generation cephalosporin antibiotics.Results: Of the 108 clinical isolates of P. mirabilis collected from Oyo (39.8%), Osun (25.9%), Ogun (21.3%) and Lagos (13%) states, 60 (55.6%) showed MDR phenotype. Among the 60 MDR isolates collected in Oyo (50%), Lagos (10%), Ogun (21.7%) and Osun (18.3%), 66.7%, 66.7%, 30.8% and 9.1% of the isolates produced ESBL, respectively.Conclusion: This study recorded the occurrence of ESBL and MDR P. mirabilis in all the four states but higher percentage of ESBL-production among MDR P. mirabilis in two of the states, Oyo and Lagos. Hence, there is need for adequate monitoring of antibiotic use to prevent increased rate of ESBL-positive MDR P. mirabilis in these states and others in the nearest future.Keywords: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, Multidrug resistant Proteus mirabilis, phenotypic screening, Tertiary hospita

Sorption Studies Of Methyl Red Dye Removal Using Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus)

Lemongrassleafbasedactivatedcarbon(LGLAC)waspreparedusingphysico-chemicalmethodsformethylred(MR)dyeremovalfromaqueoussolutions.Thesurfacechem-istryofLGLACbeforeadsorptionrevealedthepresenceofdifferentfunctionalgroups:O-H,C-H,C=O,CH3,C=C,N-O,C-OandC-Nwhichwereshiftedaftermethylreddyead-sorption.Brunauer-Emmett-Tellersurfaceandmesoporeareasare836.04m2/gand598.604m2/g,whereas,theaverageporediameterandtotalporevolumeofLGLACare3.62nmand0.472cm3/grespectively.Batchadsorptionwasstudiedusingdifferentparameters:initialdyeconcentrations(25–500mg/L),contacttime(0–24h),solutiontemperature(30–60°C)andsolutionpH(2–12).Adsorptionofmethylreddyewasobservedtoincreasewithincreaseininitialdyeconcentration,contacttimeandsolutiontemperature.Themethylreddyeadsorptionuptakeandpercentageremovalatequilibriumshowedthatthead-sorptionprocessismajorlydependentontheinitialdyeconcentration.Optimumpercent-ageofmethylreddyeremovedwasobservedatpH2.TheadsorptionprocessofmethylreddyeontoLGLACwasendothermicinnature.Thermodynamicparameters,includ-ingentropychange(�S0),enthalpychange(�H0),andGibbsfreeenergychange(�G0)wereevaluated.Theadsorptionprocesswasendothermicandthemechanismfollowedaphysisorptionproces

Assessment of the growth of Vernonia amygdalina (L) with organic and inorganic manure

This research assessed the growth of Vernonia amygdalina (L) seedlings with organic and inorganic manure at different levels. Two weeks after transplanting, cowdung and NPK 15:15:15 at two different levels were applied to the seedlings, using Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Parameters assessed include collar diameter, shoot height, leaf number and branching. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis. The result revealed that seedlings that received 1g and 1.5g of NPK performed better than those with 5g and 10g of cowdung. Plants with 1g of NPK had the highest mean shoot height and mean collar diameter of 16.25cm and 5.98mm while those with 5g of cowdung had low mean shoot height and collar diameter of 5.03cm and 3.02mm respectively. Seedlings with 1.5g NPK had mean leaf and mean branch number of 13.2 and 1.20, while those with 10g of cowdung had 10.00 and 3.02 respectively. Analysis of variance revealed that significant difference for all parameters assessed among the treatments (organic, inorganic and control at different levels) except for the number of branching which was not significant at p< 0.05.Keywords: Vernonia amygdalina, organic, inorganic, cowdung, NPK, top soil

The utilization of leaf-based adsorbents for dyes removal: A review

The presence of organic dyes in the aquatic environment is aserious global problem because of the serious negativeconsequences on the quality of ecosystems. Among various physico-chemical methods, the adsorption could be con-sidered a promising alternative for removing dyes from aqueous media, due to its efficiency, high selectivity, lowcost, ease of operation, simplicity, and availability in a wide range of experimental conditions. However, all these ad-vantages are closely related to the nature of adsorbent material used in the adsorption processes of dyes. The adsor-bent materials available in large quantities requiring a simple preparation will enhance the benefits of theadsorption processes, in agreement with the concepts of green chemistry. This review is focused on the use ofleaf-based materials, in raw or modified forms, as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from aqueous effluents,with applications in the wastewater treatment. This review addresses characterization of leaf-based adsorbents,possible utilization of leaf-based adsorbents (raw and activated forms) for dye removal and possible applicationsin pilot and full scale systems. Also, thermodynamics, equilibrium and kinetic parameters of dye adsorption onleaf-based adsorbents are discussed. The practical utility of leaf-based adsorbents for dye removal, and their possibleuses in the treatment of industrial wastewater are copiously highlighted