Cytological study of Allium cepa and Allium sativum

The large number of species in the Allium genus has necessitated comparative analysis of related species which has always been used in many cases to describe patterns and directions of chromosomal evolution within a group. This study was carried out to cytologically analyse two species of Allium- Allium cepa and Allium sativum. All the four stages of cell division were observed in both species, although well spread metaphase chromosomes could not be observed in A. sativum which limited the extent to which we could cytologically evaluate the species. Allium cepa in this study show cell with a complement of sixteen chromosomes. A total chromosome length of 577.5 µm was observed in the best c-metaphase spread with the longest chromosome being 43.4µm and the shortest 27.9 µm. Further studies are still required in the karyotype analysis of A. sativum from Nigeri

Evaluation of two MiniSTR loci mutation events in five Father-Mother-Child trios of Yoruba origin

The robustness of short tandem repeats for use in forensic and paternity depends on their high polymorphism and mutation rate. This study tried to determine the event of mutation of two miniSTR loci in the Yoruba population. Blood samples were collected from five father-motherchild trios of Yoruba origin. Two DNA extraction methods, an homemade method and Zymogen gDNA kit were tested for yield and purity for use in the STR assay. The DNA were amplified and resolved on 4% Agarose gel. The first DNA extraction method yielded an average DNA concentration of 1399 ng/μl and while the Kit yielded 984.1 ng/μl; absorbence quotient at 260/280 of 1.78 and 1.55 respectively. Locus D1GATA113 was detected in the father and mother of two families; A and C. D5S2500 was detected only in the male parent (father) in family D. DNA extracted using any of the two methods in this study is appriopriate for use in STR mutation assay but the PCR condition for mutation miniSTR loci among the yoruba still requires extensive optimization.Keywords: DNA extraction Methods, miniSTRs, mutation, Yorub

Vibration under variable magnitude moving distributed masses of non-uniform Bernoulli-Euler beam resting on Pasternak elastic foundation

The dynamic response to variable magnitude moving distributed masses of simply supported non-uniform Bernoulli-Euler beam resting on Pasternak elastic foundation is investigated in this paper. The problem is governed by fourth-order partial differential equation with variable and singular coefficients. The main objective of this work is to obtain closed form solution to this class of dynamical problem. In order to obtain the solution, a technique based on the method of Galerkin with the series representation of Heaviside function is first used to reduce the equation to second order ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients. Thereafter the transformed equations are simplified using (i) The Laplace transformation technique in conjunction with convolution theory to obtain the solution for moving force problem and (ii) finite element analysis in conjunction with Newmark method to solve the analytically unsolvable moving mass problem because of the harmonic nature of the moving load. The finite element method is first used to solve the moving force problem and the solution is compared with the analytical solution of the moving force problem in order to validate the accuracy of the finite element method in solving the analytically unsolvable moving mass problem. The numerical solution using the finite element method is shown to compare favorably with the analytical solution of the moving force problem. The displacement response for moving distributed force and moving distributed mass models for the dynamical problem are calculated for various time t and presented in plotted curves

Food Expenditure Patterns Among Urban Households In Ibadan Southwest Local Government Area, Oyo State

This study examines food expenditure patterns among urban households in Ibadan South West Local Government Area of Oyo State. The primary data used for the study were obtained through structured questionnaire using random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and least square regression model were used to analyse the data collected from respondents. Descriptive analysis showed that 82.5% of the household heads were males, 65% of them were married, and 55% fell within the age bracket of 30 and 39 years, while 65% were salary-earners. Most of the respondents (79.2%) had tertiary education and the average household size was found to be 5. Furthermore, 49.2% bought foodstuffs from the market for home consumption on a monthly basis and 52.5% spent less than N10, 000 monthly on food.  The result of the least square regression model showed that the age of respondents, level of education and occupation (salary-earner or self-employed) of the household head, as well as the household income were significantly influenced by household’s monthly food expenditure in the study area. The study recommends among other things enlightenment programmes that will    educate the urban dwellers on the  need to eat good quality and hygienic food.   &nbsp

Antimicrobial susceptibility of urinary bacterial isolates of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of selected hospitals in Ilorin, Nigeria

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy is associated with significant morbidity for both mother and baby. This study was aimed at determining the urinary bacterial isolates and their susceptibility to selected antibiotics among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of selected Hospitals in Ilorin, Nigeria. Methodology: A total of 300 pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 44 years were selected by random sampling technique from antenatal clinics of three randomly selected healthcare facilities in Ilorin, Nigeria; Civil Service Hospital, Sobi Specialist Hospital and Okelele Primary Health Center, between July and October 2021. Clean-catch mid-stream specimens of voided urine were collected from each participant, cultured on Cysteine- Lactose-Electrolyte Deficient (CLED) and Blood agar plates, and incubated aerobically at 37oC for 24 hours. The presence of significant bacteriuria (≥105 CFU/ml) was determined on the culture plate using the plate count method. Antibiotic susceptibility testing to selected antibiotics was done using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique. Cefoxitin (30g) was used as surrogate to determine phenotypic methicillin resistance in staphylococcus isolates, and the methicillin resistance (mecA) gene was detected by conventional PCR assay. Results: Of the 300 pregnant participants, 49 (16.3%) were symptomatic for UTI while 251 (83.7%) were asymptomatic. Significant bacteria (monomicrobial) were isolated in 44 (14.7%) pregnant women; 28 (11.2%) of 251 asymptomatic and 16 (32.6%) of 49 symptomatic women, which showed that significant bacteriuria rate was higher with symptomatic than asymptomatic women (OR=3.861, 95% CI=1.889–7.893, p=0.0005), but significant bacteriuria rate did not differ with respect to age group of the women (x2=1.463, p=0.4811). The most common bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli (38.6%, 17/44) followed by coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) (22.5%, 9/44), Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.2%, 8/44), Staphylococcus aureus (15.9%, 7/44), Enterococcus sp (4.6%, 2/44) and Pseudomonas sp (2.3%, 1/44). Gram negative isolates showed high resistance rate of 73.1% to ampicillin and 65.4% to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid while Gram-positive isolates showed high resistant rate of 94.1% to penicillin. The Gram-positive isolates showed high susceptibility rate of 100% while the Gram-negative isolates showed moderate susceptibility of 69.2% to nitrofurantoin. Four of the 9 (44.4%) CoNS isolates were cefoxitin resistant and all the 4 (100%) carried mecA gene. Conclusion: The isolation of bacterial pathogens resistant to the commonly prescribed antibiotics from pregnant women symptomatic and asymptomatic for UTI calls for early screening of all pregnant women for UTI during antenatal care service delivery

Nutritional And Anti-Nutritional Composition Of Fermented/Pickled Garden Egg (Solanum Aethiopicum L.)

Garden egg (Solanum aethiopicum L.) is highly perishable. Shelf life of the crop can be extended via pickling. Therefore, this study focused to observe the pickled garden egg, in order to make it available in and out of season. Three samples were prepared, namely unpickled (control) garden egg (UPRGE); pickled garden egg in brine with sugar (PGESU); and pickled garden egg with salt (PGESA). Samples were pickled for seven days and evaluated for the nutritional, phytochemicals and sensory qualities using standard methods. On dry weight basis, moisture contents ranged from (1.11 to 1.12 %), protein ranged from (13.8 to 19.5 %), ash ranged from (12.7 to 18.0 %), fiber ranged from (8.5 to 15.8 %), fat ranged from (2.7 to 5.4 %) and the available carbohydrates ranged from (45.1 to 54.3 %). There was significance difference (p&lt;0.05) in protein, ash, crude fiber, and carbohydrates. The mineral compositions were as follows: Potassium (183.0 to 183.7 mg/g), magnesium ranged from (162.3 to 194.5 mg/g), calcium ranged from (105.6 to 207.3 mg/g), copper ranged from (67.9 to 747.1 mg/g) and sodium ranged from (315.4 to 346.2 mg/g). Vitamin C ranged from (3.25 to 3.37 mg/g), saponin ranged from (10.74 to11.58 mg/g) and tannin (1.93 to 2.73 mg/g). Unpickled garden egg was scored higher in all of the sensory attributes. Conclusively, although pickling improves the nutritional composition of garden egg, and reduces the anti-nutritional content, the raw samples were preferred.</p

Performance evaluation and characterization of wetted soil parameters of improvised medi-emitters installed in a drip irrigation tomato field

Field study was conducted to evaluate the emission uniformity (EU), global coefficient of variation (CGv), emitter flow variation (Qvar) and distribution uniformity (DU), and determine the wetted radius (rw) on soil surface of improvised medi-emitters installed in a tomato field. Soil water content (SWC) at four layers was determined after different periods of irrigation. Radius of wetted soil surface was determined and predicted. Irrigation frequency had no significant effect on the average discharge rate of the medi-emitters throughout the growing cycle. Average Qvar and CGv were significantly (P=0.05) influenced by the frequency of application while the EU and DU did not significantly (P=0.05) differ among the treatments. There were significant differences in the average values of SWC in different soil layers under the different periods of irrigation. Both the observed and calculated rw on the soil surface were fitted with fourth order polynomial. The model performance parameters of MAE and RMSE between the calculated and observed radii were low, indicating good prediction. Medical infusion set can successfully replace the more expensive conventional emitters for drip irrigation system