Evaluation of Competitive Saprophytic Potentials of Microbial Isolates from Some Woods exposed to Indoor and Outdoor Atmospheric Conditions in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State

Wood deterioration is one of the major effects of heavy economic losses. The rate of deterioration of woods stored or piled for sales are widely studied and well known, the agent responsible for decay of woods in suspended or common roofing conditions has not been extensively studied.  This study evaluated the microbial-deteriorating agents that may plausibly influence the strength of woods commonly sold in Uyo timber markets and the effects on the wood when used in roofing. Using standard aerobic culture techniques and analytical procedures, the microbial bio-deterioration   agents   of woods and their saprophytic potentials were investigated. The result revealed that microorganisms are commonly deposited on Gmelina, Obeche and Iroko wood samples exposed in suspended atmospheric conditions. The microbial isolates were comprised of six fungal and seven bacterial species. The fungal community and their percentage occurrences were as follows: Monillia (30.0%), Aspergillus fumigates (16.7%), Aspergillus niger (73.3%), Rhizopus stolonifera (50.0%), Candida utilis (20.0%) and Mucor (56.7%) species, while the bacterial community comprised of Staphylococcus albus (20.0%), Bacillus subtilis (80.0%), Streptococcus (3.33%), Staphylococcus aureus (10.0%), Micrococcus (3.33%), Bacillus cereus (80.0%) and Streptomyces (46.7%) species. The microbial isolates exhibited a weak competitive saprophytic potential under their conditions of exposure. The research findings have shown that though the associated micro-organisms possessed a weak enzymatic potential, the fungal components which exhibited a better hydrolytic enzymes potential may grow and produce pigments that may reduce the quality of woods. It is therefore, recommended that proper treatment with wood preservatives be employed to enhance the usage, life and quality of woods used in suspended platforms

Tolerance of Tithonia diversifolia and Chromolaena odorata in heavy metal simulated-polluted soils and three selected dumpsites

Soil heavy metals pollution is of global concern in view of their flow through the food chain. The convectional, physical, and chemical approaches to remediate polluted soils are usually expensive and not eco-friendly. Phytoextraction is a promising alternative because of the cost effectiveness and eco-friendliness. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the abilities of Chromolaena odorata (Co) and Tithonia diversifolia (Td) to extract heavy metals from polluted soil.Soil analysis was done in part per million (ppm) before Td and Co were grown separately on sixty soil samples of 6.5 kg each collected from 3 selected dumpsites in Irese, New Stadium, and a control site (Ijare), Akure in Ondo State. Three replicates of the soil samples collected from Ijare were simulated with 10 g/kg each of cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) and used in assessing the phytoextraction capabilities of Co and Td. Two grams per kilogram of each of the heavy metals were mixed together and used in simulating three soil samples collected from Ijare and phytoextraction capabilities of Co and Td assessed. A control experiment using soil sample from Ijare was also set up in three replicates for Co and Td. Soil analyses were also carried out after the experiment in ppm. Plant biomass was assessed. Heavy metal contents in roots, shoots and soil samples were analyzed after harvest to determine the bioaccumulation (BF). Data obtained were subjected to one way Analysis of Variance at α0.05.The most contaminated soil sample before and after the experiment was obtained in soil sample (mg/kg) from OD with Cd = 0.08 and 0.071, Zn = 1.92 and 1.85, Fe = 8.44 and 6.94, Cu = 3.04 and 2.54 and Pb = 1.4 and 0.93 respectively. The highest fresh and dry weights (g) for Td and Co were recorded in the plants grown in the control soil. The fresh weight (g) for Td and Co shoots and roots were 110.58 and 52.90; and 48.41 and 7.18 respectively. The dry weights (mg) for Td and Co shoots and roots were 20.56 and 4.68; and 16.66 and 0.36 respectively. Uptake of heavy metals in T. diversifolia and C. odorata tissues (ppm) were Cd (0.43 and 0.06), Zn (6.57 and 3.8), Cu (3.93 and 2.21), Pb (2.37 and 1.94) and Fe (55.15 and 32.82) respectively.This study showed Tithonia diversifolia and C. odorata were capable of reducing heavy metals in polluted soils. Thus the plants are good candidates for the phytoextraction of heavy metals from polluted soils. Keywords: Phytoremediation, Heavy metals, Tithonia diversifolia, Chromolaena odorat

Inventory of parasitic plants (mistletoes) host range in forest and plantation community of Humid Forest Research Station Umuahia, Nigeria

The host range assessment was investigated in Humid Forest Research Station Umuahia between the year 2019 and 2020 with the view of documenting the host range species in the station premises. The visual method of counting was adopted in this study. Both angiosperm and gymnosperm tree species were examined. Out of 21 families that were investigated, 14 families were infected with parasitic plants. The remaining 7 families were found not being harbored mistletoes. These were Moraceae, Sapotaceae, Ebenaceae, Clusiaceae, Steculiaceae, Bombacaceae and Cupressaceae. At generic levels, 20 genera belonging to 25 tree species were infected with parasitic plants. The total number of individual trees harboring mistletoes were 84, out of which Tectona grandis took 28.56 %. The identified mistletoes species during the study were Agelanthus pungu, Phragmenthera incana and Phragmenthra capitata. They were parasitized 29.2%, 12.5% and 58.3% of infected tree species respectively. The study actually highlighted the host range species among gymnosperm and angiosperm tree species in the forest and plantation community of the study locality

Evaluation of pytochemicals and vitamins constituents of Corchorus aestuans L.

This study evaluates the phytochemicals and vitamins constituents of Corchorus aestuans. The plant extracts were prepared by cold maceration using methanol as a solvent. Phytochemical screening was carried out using preliminary phytochemical tests and the vitamins was determined according to procedure outlined by Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemistry. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics. The qualitative phytochemical screening showed the presence of tannin, phenolic, saponin, alkaloid, flavonoid, trypsin, glycoside and carbohydrates while steroids, cardiac glycosides and triterpene are not presence. The quantitative phytochemical constituents of leaves of Corchorus aestuans indicated that alkaloid and flavonoid recorded the highest mean value of 2.973 and 0.131 mg/kg each, followed by carbohydrates with 0.99 mg/kg while phenolic was the least with a mean of 0.01 mg/kg. Vitamins composition of the leaves of Corchorus aestuans showed that vitamin C recorded the highest value of 8.82 mg/100g, followed by Vitamin E and Vitamin A (5.68 and 2.246 mg/100g) while Vitamin D (0.27mg/100g) is the least. The study concludes that leaves of Corchorus aestuans can serve as a good source of vitamins and used as herbs. Therefore, the study recommends that further study on pharmacological uses of C. aestuans should be carried out and include in the human diet to solve the problem of malnutrition

Investigating high zircon concentrations in the fine fraction of stream sediments draining the Pan-African Dahomeyan Terrace in Nigeria

Sixteen hundred stream sediments (<150 μm fraction) collected during regional geochemical surveys in central and SW Nigeria have high median and maximum concentrations of Zr that exceed corresponding Zr concentrations found in stream sediments collected from elsewhere in the World with similar bedrock geology. X-ray diffraction studies on a sub-set of the analysed stream sediments showed that Zr is predominantly found in detrital zircon grains. However, the main proximal source rocks (Pan-African ‘Older Granites’ of Nigeria and their Proterozoic migmatitic gneiss country rocks) are not enriched in zircon (or Zr). Nevertheless, U-Pb LA-ICP-MS dating with cathodoluminescence imaging on detrital zircons, both from stream sediment samples and underlying Pan-African ‘Older Granites’ confirms a local bedrock source for the stream sediment zircons. A combination of tropical/chemical weathering and continuous physical weathering, both by ‘wet season’ flash flooding and ‘dry season’ unidirectional winds are interpreted to have effectively broken down bedrock silicate minerals and removed much of the resultant clay phases, thereby increasing the Zr contents in stream sediments. The strong correlation between winnowing index (Th/Al) and Zr concentration across the study area support this interpretation. Therefore, ‘anomalous’ high values of Zr, as well as other elements concentrated in resistant ‘heavy’ minerals in Nigeria’s streams may not reflect proximal bedrock concentrations of these elements. This conclusion has important implications for using stream sediment chemistry as an exploration tool in Nigeria for primary metal deposits associated with heavy minerals

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in children: An international, multicentre, prospective cohort study

Introduction Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, there is a lack of data available about SSI in children worldwide, especially from low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of SSI in children and associations between SSI and morbidity across human development settings. Methods A multicentre, international, prospective, validated cohort study of children aged under 16 years undergoing clean-contaminated, contaminated or dirty gastrointestinal surgery. Any hospital in the world providing paediatric surgery was eligible to contribute data between January and July 2016. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI by 30 days. Relationships between explanatory variables and SSI were examined using multilevel logistic regression. Countries were stratified into high development, middle development and low development groups using the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Results Of 1159 children across 181 hospitals in 51 countries, 523 (45·1%) children were from high HDI, 397 (34·2%) from middle HDI and 239 (20·6%) from low HDI countries. The 30-day SSI rate was 6.3% (33/523) in high HDI, 12·8% (51/397) in middle HDI and 24·7% (59/239) in low HDI countries. SSI was associated with higher incidence of 30-day mortality, intervention, organ-space infection and other HAIs, with the highest rates seen in low HDI countries. Median length of stay in patients who had an SSI was longer (7.0 days), compared with 3.0 days in patients who did not have an SSI. Use of laparoscopy was associated with significantly lower SSI rates, even after accounting for HDI. Conclusion The odds of SSI in children is nearly four times greater in low HDI compared with high HDI countries. Policies to reduce SSI should be prioritised as part of the wider global agenda