Geoelectrical Characterization of Aquifer Precincts in Parts of Lapai, North Central Nigeria

Some geoelectric characteristics of aquifer in parts of Lapai, Central Nigeria were evaluated using Wenner vertical electrical sounding (VES) method. Fifteen (15) VES points were occupied using G41 Geotron Resistivity meter with electrode spacing varying from 10m to 150m while a global positioning system (GPS) tracking device was used to locate the VES points. The 1xD Interprex interpretation software was used for the data interpretation which revealed four layers comprising the top lateritic soil, silty /clayey, weathered basement and fresh basement rocks. The resistivity of these layers varied from 4.54Ωm to 27987.60Ωm while the depth varied from 0.440m to 1079.5m. Longitudinal conductance and transverse resistance calculated from the layers’ thicknesses and resistivities varied from 0.00039Siemens to 2.05Siemens and 3.96×106 Ωm2 to 3.34×107Ωm2 respectively. The aquifer overburden protection capacity in VES 2, 5, 6,9,10 and 11 were relatively low which means the aquifer in these locations are susceptible to contaminants while in VES 15 the protective capacity is higher indicating that the aquifer is protected. Generally, all the locations could be exploited for groundwater at relatively reasonable depths. However, a greater part of the study area has low protective capacity (<1.0Siemens). The consequence of this revelation is that the area is generally unprotected as it allows for infiltration and subsequent contamination of the groundwater and hence good groundwater quality cannot be guaranteed in the area

EEG changes and neuroimaging abnormalities in relevance to severity of autism

Background: Autism is currently viewed as a genetically determined neurodevelopmental disorder although its defi nite underlying etiology remains to be established.Aim of the Study: Our purpose was to assess autism related morphologicalneuroimaging changes of the brain and EEG abnormalities in correlation to the degree of disease severity.Patients and Methods: Seventeen cases with classic autism, 13 males and 4 females were included in the study. Severity of the disease was assessed both clinically and by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). MRI changes and EEG abnormalities were detected in seven patients, mostly severely and moderately affected.Results: Hypoplasia of cerebellar vermian lobules is the most replicated MRI abnormality in our patients (18%). Periventricular white matter dysmyelination is detected in 12% of studied cases. 29% of the cases have EEG abnormalities. Head circumference above 97th centiles is detected in 18% of cases. The increased head circumference, when in combination with EEG abnormalities, positively correlates with the degree of disease severity. Conclusion: Although, no defi nite correlation could be established between the studied parameters and disease severity, most patients in the present study who exhibited MRI abnormality, EEG changes and/or increased head circumference (H.C) manifested severe form of autism. The absence of correlation may be attributed to lack of statistical power, resulting from small sample size. However, the correlation was not solidly excluded therefore, the recommendation of further neuroradiological evaluation as well as the implementation ofnewer techniques, might help future elucidating the etiology of autism.Keywords: Autism, MRI, EEG, brain development

Implementasi Prinsip Multiple Intelligences Dalam Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa Pada Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia di MI Najahiyah Palembang

Implementasi Prinsip Multiple Intelligences dalam Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia Kelas III di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Najahiyah Palembang. Adapun prinsip Multiple Intelligences pada mata pelajaran bahasa Indonesia dengan materi menulis karangan. Rumusan masalah yakni bagaimana hasil belajar siswa sebelum dan sesudah menggunakan prinsip Multiple Intelligences dan apakah ada perbedaan hasil belajar yang signifikan antara sebelum dan sesudah menggunakan prinsip Multiple Intelligences pada mata pelajaran bahasa Indonesia kelas III di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Najahiyah Palembang, dengan menggunakan observasi, wawancara, tes, dan dokumentasi. Sehingga dengan teknik analisis data kuantitatif yaitu menguraikan data-data yang dapat dihitung dengan angka-angka menggunakan rumus tes “t”. Hasil analisis data yakni sebelum digunakan prinsip Multiple Intelligences yaitu tergolong tinggi (baik) sebanyak 3 orang siswa (12%) kategori tinggi (nilai di atas 76,74), tergolong sedang sebanyak 15 Orang siswa (60%), siswa termasuk dalam kategori sedang (nilai antara 37,6 sampai 76,74), dan yang tergolong rendah sebanyak 7 Orang siswa (28%), siswa termasuk dalam kategori sedang (nilai dibawah 37,6). Sedangkan hasil belajar siswa sesudah digunakan prinsip Multiple Intelligences yaitu yang tergolong tinggi (baik) sebanyak 7 orang siswa (28%), siswa kategori tinggi (nilai di atas 94), tergolong sedang sebanyak 16 Orang siswa (64%), siswa termasuk dalam kategori sedang (nilai antara 74 sampai 94), dan yang tergolong rendah sebanyak 2 Orang siswa (8%), dalam kategori rendah (nilai dibawah 74). Hipotesa alternatif diterima dengan rincian to lebih besar dari tt baik pada taraf signifikan 1% maupun 5% dengan perincian 2.79<-10,64>2.06. berarti adanya perbedaan hasil belajar antara sebelum dan sesudah digunakan prinsip Multiple Intelligences dalam Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia Kelas III di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Najahiyah

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the therapy of anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is often incurable so new therapeutic approaches are needed. Tyrosine kinases inhibitors (such as imanitib, sunitinib or sorafenib) are under evaluation for the treatment of ATC. Other vascular disrupting agents, such as combretastatin A4 phosphate, and antiangiogenic agents, such as aplidin, PTK787/ZK222584 and human VEGF monoclonal antibodies (bevacizumab, cetuximab), have been evaluated. Small-molecule adenosine triphosphate competitive inhibitors directed intracellularly at EGFRs tyrosine kinase, such as erlotinib or gefitinib, are also studied. Furthermore, new molecules have been shown to be active against ATC, such as CLM94 and CLM3. However, more research is needed to finally identify therapies able to control and to cure this disease

Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Studies on Jordanian Honey and Propolis as Potential Self-Preserving Pharmaceutical Systems

The aim of this project was to study the physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties of Jordanian honey and propolis in order to determine their potential as pharmaceutical preservation systems. This study undertook a physico-chemical analysis of several Jordanian honeys and one propolis type, in order to evaluate several physico-chemical properties including, pH and free acidity, moisture content, ash content and HydroxyMethylFurfural content in three honey samples, and total flavonoid content in the propolis sample. The antimicrobial activity of honey and propolis samples was then evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Subsequently, Honey 1 (H1) was selected for further study and combined with propolis to test their potential synergistic activity. Finally, a preservative effectiveness test was conducted in order to assess the possibility of using honey and propolis as natural preservatives in aqueous dosage forms, such as syrups. The results of this study showed that all the tested honey samples and propolis possessed significant antimicrobial activity against the standard test microorganisms, and that honey with propolis exhibited synergistic activity that enhanced their antimicrobial activity and resulted in up to 90% reduction in their MIC values. This study also confirmed that honey and propolis could be used as a natural preservative system for pharmaceutical formulae. Our results reveal the possibility of using honey-propolis mixtures as natural preservatives in oral aqueous pharmaceutical dosage forms and other local application products

Prédiction de l'excursion du débit dans les minis canaux

le modèle Drift Flux a été adopté pour déterminer le seuil d'apparition de l'instabilité macroscopique statique de Ledinegg, dans un mini canal vertical soumis à un flux de chaleur constant et uniforme. Plusieurs équations constitutives et corrélations sont mises à profit en guise de fermeture du système d'équations. Les résultats obtenus par la présente contribution sont satisfaisants pour les différents régimes d'écoulemen

GC/MS determination of bioactive components and antibacterial properties of Goniothalamus umbrosusextracts

In this study, the antibacterial activity and chemical composition of Goniothalamus umbrosus leaves extracts were evaluated. The antibacterial activity was investigated using two gram-positive bacteria, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis B29, and two gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60690 and Salmonella choleraesuis. The activity was tested using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration assays. The chemical compositions of the ethyl acetate extract of G. umbrosus were investigated using Shimadzu gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-17A) while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the library. The results showed that the  extracts demonstrated broad spectrum antibacterial effects against all tested bacteria. GC/MS analysis of ethyl acetate extract of G. umbrosus revealed the existence of 1-butyl-2-cyclohexen-1-ol (46.84%), benzaldehyde (4.42%) and globulol (4.07%). The results of this study offer a platform of using G. umbrosus as herbal alternative for the current synthetic antimicrobial agents

Plasmid profile of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 from apparently healthy animals

One hundred samples from healthy animals were screened for the presence of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli 0157: H7 and 17 were positive for EHEC 0157:H7 after confirmation using serology kits. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns showed the isolates to be highly susceptible to the various antibiotics screened with a few showing multiple antibiotic resistance. The plasmid profiles revealed that 8/17 (47%) of the animal isolates harboured detectable plasmids ranging in size from 0.564 kb to >23 kb. Key words: Escherichia coli, EHEC, animals, plasmid profile. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.2(9) 2003: 322-32

A review of the antimicrobial activity of thermodynamically stable microemulsions

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, transparent, isotropic mixtures of oil, water and surfactant (and sometimes a co-surfactant), which have shown potential for widespread application in disinfection and self-preservation. This is thought to be due to an innate antimicrobial effect. It is suggested that the antimicrobial nature of microemulsions is the result of a combination of their inherent kinetic energy and their containing surfactants, which are known to aid the disruption of bacterial membranes. This review examines the contemporary evidence in support of this theory.</p