Endogenous Fibrinolysis : An Important Mediator of Thrombus Formation and Cardiovascular Risk

© 2015 BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION. PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER INC.Most acute cardiovascular events are attributable to arterial thrombosis. Plaque rupture or erosion stimulates platelet activation, aggregation, and thrombosis, whilst simultaneously activating enzymatic processes that mediate endogenous fibrinolysis to physiologically maintain vessel patency. Interplay between these pathways determines clinical outcome. If proaggregatory factors predominate, the thrombus may propagate, leading to vessel occlusion. However, if balanced by a healthy fibrinolytic system, thrombosis may not occur or cause lasting occlusion. Despite abundant evidence for the fibrinolytic system regulating thrombosis, it has been overlooked compared with platelet reactivity, partly due to a lack of techniques to measure it. We evaluate evidence for endogenous fibrinolysis in arterial thrombosis and review techniques to assess it, including biomarkers and global assays, such as thromboelastography and the Global Thrombosis Test. Global assays, simultaneously assessing proaggregatory and fibrinolytic pathways, could play a role in risk stratification and in identifying impaired fibrinolysis as a potential target for pharmacological modulation.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Residential Property Mortgage Delinquency in Anambra State: A Case Study of Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc.

Residential property development as well as other housing projects involves a huge sum of money which a developer may not be able to provide with his equity capital. Financial institutions help to provide capital to finance real property development and this is mainly through the granting of loans. But in practice it is seen that some people borrow from these institutions without repayment. So, this research work aims at finding out the causes of mortgage defaults, its effects on the socio-economic structure of the state as well as suggesting possible measures needed to curtail the incidence of mortgage delinquency in Anambra State. During the course of the research work, several methods will be adopted in the collection of data, which includes the distribution of questionnaires, use of oral interview, and visual observation as well as the secondary source. The data(s) so collected are to be presented using tables, and analyzed in percentages. The use of Chi-square test is adopted in Analysis testing. Conclusively, mortgage delinquency cannot be completely avoided but can be minimized through proper adherence to the recommendations that will be made by the researcher in which one of them is proper monitoring and supervision of the project by the staffs of the lending in institution to prevent wasteful expenditure or diversion of funds

Investigating the Problem of Real Estate Financing in Nigeria: A Study of United Bank of Africa, Awka

This study investigated the problem of real estate financing in Nigeria, using the United Bank of Africa, Awka as a case study. The study adopted the questionnaire survey and interview methods in obtaining data from the bank. The findings of the results of the analysis carried out showed that Commercial   Banks    are   not   an   ideal   or   suitable medium for financing real estate development because whereas Commercial Banks deposits are short term in nature, real estate is for long term which is usually vulnerable to vagaries in the economy like: changes    in    economic    variables, interest    rates, exchange rates and the rate of inflation; Commercial Banks are constrained in lending for real estate development because of several problems they encounter, like: high risks associated with real estate lending, the long-term tenor of real estate loan in relation to commercial  banks  short term short  term deposits, the inability of  potential  real   estate  investors  to meet commercial banks lending requirement, non repayment of loans by borrowers and fraudulent / dishonesty   in   information   provided   by potential borrowers. In the light of the foregoing, the following recommendations were put forth: 1. Government should establish a specialized bank to be known as 'Real Estate Development Bank' (REDB) like the Bank of Industry (BOI) whose function will be the sourcing of funds and on-lending such funds to real estate investors who must be registered with the National Association of Real Estate Developers, 2.  Government should encourage the establishment of micro credit financial institutions for mobilizing of funds and lending to small-time real estate developers, and 3. Government should provide Commercial Banks guarantee for loans obtained by real estate developers who are duly registered and approved by the National Association of Real Estate Developers and the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers'. This way Commercial Banks will be encouraged to lend to the real estate sector

Secretion Of Methionine By Microorganisms Associated With Cassava Fermentation

Forty-six (46) bacteria were isolated from different sites associated with garri production from cassava: cassava pulp grated for garri production, grating machines, soil in the vicinity of the production of garri, and utensils involved in the processing of cassava into garri in several locations in Anambra State of Nigeria. Of these, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus sp., Leuconostoc sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus sp. secreted methionine. The organisms were assessed for optimum methionine production at various levels of glucose, ammonium sulphate and varying mixtures of potassium hydrogen phosphate and di-potassium hydrogen phosphate. All the organisms required 10 g glucose for maximum methionine secretion. All the isolates required 20 g of (NH4)2SO4/litre, except for Bacillus sp. which required as little as 5 g of (NH4)2SO4/litre. The organisms' requirement for phosphate varied widely: the two lactobacilli required 0.5 g KH2PO4 and 1.5 g K2HPO4 per litre, Leuconostoc sp. and Bacillus sp. required 1.0 g KH2PO4 and 3.0 g K2HPO4 per litre. Lactobacillus spp. were the highest secreters of methionine, followed in that order by Leuconostoc sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus sp. The optimum period of incubation for the secretion varied from 48 h to 96 h, which is the period for cassava mash fermentation in garri production. The findings on Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus sp. and Leuconostoc sp. are of importance in any possible effort to increase the methionine content of garri. In this study the maximum quantities of methionine were secreted after 96 hours and 72 hours respectively by the lactobacilli and Leuconostoc sp. Since lactic acid bacteria are micro-aerophilic, it is suggested that lactic acid bacteria (the two lactobacilli and Leuconostoc sp.), which are the major organisms involved in cassava fermentation for garri production, may, in the less aerated environment of the cassava mash, produce more methionine and in shorter time, than observed under the aerobic conditions of this work. Keywords: garri, fermentation, lactic acid, methionineAJFAND Vol. 8 (1) 2008 pp. 77-9

Analysis of Tenement Rating Administration in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State

This research dealt with the analysis of tenement rating particularly, it dealt with the problems encountered in the administration of tenement rating in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The following are involved: tenement assessment, publication of valuation list, issuing of demand notice, levying of tax, billing and collection for an effective administration of tenement rating; these activities must be carried out adequately, but the reverse has been the case. In the course of this project, relevant literature were reviewed. Data were collected through the use of interview questionnaires and the result was subjected to different statistical techniques and presented in tables, bars and percentages. The findings of this study are that inadequate training is given to the staffs in the valuation unit of the government secretariat which makes them unqualified and incompetent to carry out tenement rating. Rate collection drive requires good transportation facilities for mobility but it is hampered due to inadequate provision of transportation facilities. As a result, some suggestions were made that tenement rating administration requires qualified and competent management as such the staff should be properly trained on rating valuation principles. Estate surveyors and valuers as professionals and experts should be left to handle tenement rating since they are the only one that can handle it properly. In conclusion, it abounds in tenement rating administration. However, if adequate caution is made, it would be properly arranged

Comparative Analysis of Research Output of Federal Universities in Southern Nigeria

The study was carried out to compare the research output of academics in science and engineering faculties in southern Nigeria using bibliometric analysis. Descriptive survey method was used for the study. Through stratified random sampling six federal universities were selected out of 13 for the study. Two hundred and ninety-one academic staff with the rank of lecturer II and above were used for the study. The research output considered in this study was counting of journal articles and supervision of postgraduate students. The study showed that University of Benin had the highest publication of all the universities but mainly in local journals. However, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta had the highest articles in international journals, followed by University of Ibadan, Ibadan. University of Ibadan was the highest in masters and Ph.D supervision followed by university of Benin. The study also showed that there is no significant difference between mean productivity of academics from different universities. However there is significant difference between mean productivity of articles published in international journals. It is then recommended the all stake-holders in research and education should create conducive working environment for researchers, through funding, providing the necessary equipment, necessary information materials by equipping the libraries. Also researchers should be sponsored to local, national and international conferences and workshops. This will expose the researchers in their field and enhance publishing within and outside Nigeria. The federal government should in collaboration with NUC establish databases as has been done in other countries. This will make it easer for studies of this type to be carried out in Nigeria

Kinetic Study and Characterization of 1,4-β-Endoglucanase of Aspergillus niger ANL301

Submerged fermentation of Aspergillus niger ANL 301 in basal medium containing cellulose as sole carbon source, yielded crude extracellular proteins with 0.54 ± 0.02 units mg protein-1 of 1,4-β-endoglucanase activity. Partial purification by ammonium sulphate precipitation (80% saturation) and gel filtration on Sephadex 25-300 gave two active fractions of 1,4-β-endoglucanase, which exhibited close activity towards carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC). The pH profile of the pooled enzyme fractions showed three activity peaks at pH 3.5, 5.5 and 7.0. The enzyme was most active at pH 5.5 and showed optimal activity at 50°C. Vmax of 4.4 ± 0.4 µmol min-1 mg protein-1 and Km of 12.5 ± 0.4 gL-1 was obtained with CMC for the enzyme. Different divalent metal ions and EDTA affected the enzyme activity at 2.0 mM concentrations in different ways. Mn2+ and Fe2+ exhibited 253.4 and 24.0% stimulatory effects, respectively on the enzyme activity. Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ inhibited the enzyme by between 22.3 and 29.4%, whereas 75.0 and 71.3% inhibition were obtained with Hg2+ and EDTA, respectively. Manganese ion showed an exceptional activation of the 1,4-β-endoglucanase. The organism produced two types of 1,4-β-endoglucanase with different molecular weights

3-TIER E-COMP: A NOVEL E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT PORTAL BASED ON SECURED SDLC APPROACH

In today’s business world, there is an urgent need to develop a new approach for customer to business owner transactionssecurely. This research develops, implements, and discussed a novel 3 – Tier E-Commerce Management portal. This makesonline business very flexible and secured on the part of business owners and customers. Our proposed system seeks toreplace the conventional E-commerce models on the internet today. We argue that process logic manipulation using SecuredSoftware Development Life Cycle (SSDLCM) on Ecommerce platform is a promising scheme for studying andunderstanding script processing on the new web paradigms. In this research, we define security calculus for 3 Tier EComPwith the aim of eradicating SQL injection possibilities as well as exploiting Software as a service in a dynamic Ecommercedomain. Also, we developed a new access hierarchy for E-commerce comprising of Application layer users, designatedadministrator and super administrators in the 3 – Tier EComP. We developed a new encryption scheme based on XAMPMD5 Random Curve Cryptography (XMD5 – RCC) running on Secure Socket Layer (SSL) which protects the user andadministrators on the Ecommerce platform. The result of encryption scheme randomly generates and secures the logindetails dynamically on the server during the authentication and authorization phases. The programming was accomplishedwith PhP, and MySQL Server. The overall methodology as detailed in the body of the work could serve as good template forapplication developers and other researchers.Keywords: E-Commerce, XMD5-RCC, SSL, Platform, SSDLCM, Software, Servic

Xylanase production by Aspergillus niger ANL 301 using agro - wastes

Xylanase production by wild-type Aspergillus niger ANL301, newly isolated from wood-waste, was monitored at 24 h intervals for a period 168 h in media containing different carbon sources. The carbon sources were oat-spelt xylan (Fluka) and three agro-wastes (sawdust, sugarcane pulp and wheat bran). Highest xylanase activity of 6.47 units/mL was obtained at 96 h in media containing wheat bran as sole carbon source. Maximum activity value for the media containing sugarcane pulp was 0.95 units/mL obtained also at 96 h. Sawdust and oat spelt xylan gave the peak enzyme activities of 0.65 and 0.80 units/mL respectively at 120 h. High protein yield was obtained in media containing the agro-wastes, with wheat bran giving the highest value of 1.14 mg/mL at 96 h. The maximum specific xylanase activities were 3.86, 3.37, 5.69, and 9.36 units/ mg protein for sawdust, sugarcane pulp, wheat bran and oat spelt xylan, respectively. Out of the three agro-wastes used in this study, wheat bran holds greatest promise for low cost production of the xylanase enzyme

Agro-waste: a potential fermentation substrate for Penicillium chrysogenum

Common agro-wastes found in Lagos, Nigeria (cassava shavings, corncob, sawdust, and sugarcane pulp) were compared with glucose and lactose as fermentation substrates for Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501. Cassava shavings significantly (P<0.001) produced the highest amount of mycelia weight (0.43 ± 0.02 mg/ml) than all the other substrates. This was followed by corncob with peak mycelia weight of 0.33 ± 0.02 mg/ml. Peak mycelia weight of 0.27 ± 0.01 mg/ml was equally obtained with glucose and sugarcane pulp whereas lactose gave a slightly lower peak of 0.25 ± 0.01 mg/ml. Sawdust gave the least mycelia weight of 0.13 ± 0.01 mg/ml. Total sugar content of all the culture media steadily decreased as fungal growth progressed indicating that the organism utilized carbohydrates for growth and mycelia formation. Cultures containing cassava shavings and sawdust gave high protein peaks of 0.84 ± 0.05 and 0.65 ± 0.03 mg/ml respectively. Cultures containing corncob, glucose, lactose and sugarcane pulp yielded lower protein peaks of 0.37 ± 0.02, 0.30 ± 0.02, 0.24 ± 0.02 and 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/ml respectively. The results suggest that cassava shavings, corncob and sugarcane pulp could serve as cheap fermentation substrates for the growth of the fungus. Of all the substrates investigated, cassava shavings have the best potential to serve as substrate for fermentation by Penicillium chrysogenum PCL501. © 2009 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved