Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds in Mangroves: A Panacea towards Exploiting and Optimizing Mangrove Resources

The tissues (leaves, barks and roots) of mangrove species (Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia africana) were screened qualitatively and quantitatively for phytochemicals (metabolites). Phytochemical analysis indicated presence of highly polar bioactive compounds (alkaloids, saponins tannins flavonoids and reducing sugar) in their tissues. The concentration of these compounds varied significantly (P<0.001). The highest concentrations of alkaloids and saponins were in A. africana, flavonoids and tannins in R. racemosa and reducing sugars in N. fruticans. The existence of these metabolites suggests the possible contributions and potentials of the mangroves to medicine and the environment. Keywords: Mangrove species, Metabolites, Polar bioactive compounds, Medicine

Tuberculosis Prevalence- A Contemporary Public Health Challenge and the Instituted Barriers in Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu, Ohaozara L. G. A. Ebonyi State, Nigeria

A prevalence study is crucial in assessing the extent of occurrence with regard to an outbreak of a disease. High prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) has been reported in Nigeria. The study aimed at investigating the prevalence of tuberculosis reported cases from 2009-2013 and tuberculosis instituted barriers in Presbyterian Joint Hospital Uburu (PJHU) in Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Ex-post-facto research design was used for the study. The study population consisted of 675 tuberculosis reported cases from 2009-2013 in PJHU. The same number (675) was the sample size for the study. Data were collected using the researcher’s Template which was filled with information from the hospital’s records. The template consisted of four items viz: year case was reported, number of cases, gender and TB instituted barriers in PJHU. Analysis of the data showed that the prevalence of tuberculosis reported cases in 2009 was 196 (29.0%), 152 (22.5%), in 2010; 138 (20.4%) in 2011; 110 (16.3%) in 2012 and 79 (11.7%) in 2013. The results showed that the highest prevalence rate 29.0% was recorded in 2009 while the lowest prevalence rate of 11.7% was recorded in 2013. Tuberculosis instituted barriers in PJHU included isolation, safe disposal of sputum, personal hygiene and others as presented in Table 2. The Chi-square analysis of no significant difference in the prevalence of tuberculosis by gender was accepted (X2 Cal 2.376 < X2 Tab.3.841, df 1, P= .05). From the findings of the study males were found to be as susceptible to tuberculosis as females. It was recommended among others that teaching of tuberculosis control practices by health workers should be integrated into a wider scheme for health care education and family planning services as well as establishing Directly Observed Home Treatment Short Course (DOHTS) in order to take TB services to the door steps of TB patients. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Prevalence, Control practices, and gender

Engaging MOU and People’s Participation in Project Implementation: Imperative for Sustainable Community Development in Nigeria.

People’s participation in project implementation in the community is generally accepted as a means of mobilizing human and material resources – all directed to increasing productivity and thus improving the living standards of the people. The practicability of this strategy will be a wild dream if it cannot be institutionalized. Hence, a need for some devices such as: engaging Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the implementation committees to help foster people’s participation in project execution. This paper focuses on engaging MOU and people’s participation in project implementation: imperative for sustainable community development in Nigeria. Being a theoretical research, secondary materials were employed and the result shows that it is the involvement of the intended beneficiaries that can help in the sustainability of projects in the community. It was therefore concluded that, authentic engagements of MOU and people’s participation are indispensable in order to make the intended beneficiaries self-reliant in the meeting of their basic needs and the making of the process of their project development self sustainable. Keywords - Community development, MOU, People’s participation, Project, Sustainable

Geoelectrical Assessment of a Proposed Dam Site around Ehuhe area of Oji River, Southeastern Nigeria.

The current study involves applying the Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) by using the symmetrical Schlumberger configuration to evaluate the suitability of the soil underlying Ehuhe area of Oji River Southeastern Nigeria for dam construction. The survey was conducted along the proposed dam axis (about 477 m long) and its vicinity with the view to determining the presence or otherwise of deleterious matter along the dam axis down to a depth of 35m below the surface, evaluate the geo-structural setting of the concealed bedrock, the fracture pattern and possible dam seepage along the dam axis and its banks as well as give suggestions on any other measures/studies that may be needed for a proper engineering design. Twelve (VES) sounding stations at between 40m (VES 1 – VES 10) and 60m (VES 10 – VES 12 and VES 2 – VES 11) were located and fully occupied along the dam axis. The data obtained were subjected to 1-D inversion algorithm to determine the layer parameters. The results show that the subsurface is remarkably inhomogeneous in geological composition. The geoelectric section revealed three (3) lithologic units defined by top loose dry sandstone, hard but jointed iron oxide-cemented sandstone and porous sandstone, with shales being totally absent. Resistivity values range from 9200-66100, 1440-161000 and 555-21300 ohm-m in the topsoil, ironstone and porous sandstone respectively. Depth to each layer varies from 0.5-12.0 m in the topsoil, 3.6-22.1m in the ironstone rich zone and greater than 40m in the porous sandstone region. No structures that will be of deleterious effect were observed in all the VES points down to about 40m. From the results and field observations it is concluded that the proposed dam axis is underlain by high sandy/ arenaceous matter usually brought in from both Ehuhe and Udi areas with high porosity and potentially rife for great infiltration. It is expected that high bearing capacity shall characterize the rock units. However the absence of shales means high infiltration in a sandy environment. Efforts should be made to provide some suitable blanket materials for the dam and mechanism for desilting when the dam is put in place. Keywords: Geoelectric Section, Geometric factor, Lithology, Oji River, Seepage

Developmental Regulation of Genes Encoding Universal Stress Proteins in Schistosoma mansoni

The draft nuclear genome sequence of the snail-transmitted, dimorphic, parasitic, platyhelminth Schistosoma mansoni revealed eight genes encoding proteins that contain the Universal Stress Protein (USP) domain. Schistosoma mansoni is a causative agent of human schistosomiasis, a severe and debilitating Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) of poverty, which is endemic in at least 76 countries. The availability of the genome sequences of Schistosoma species presents opportunities for bioinformatics and genomics analyses of associated gene families that could be targets for understanding schistosomiasis ecology, intervention, prevention and control. Proteins with the USP domain are known to provide bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and plants with the ability to respond to diverse environmental stresses. In this research investigation, the functional annotations of the USP genes and predicted nucleotide and protein sequences were initially verified. Subsequently, sequence clusters and distinctive features of the sequences were determined. A total of twelve ligand binding sites were predicted based on alignment to the ATP-binding universal stress protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii. In addition, six USP sequences showed the presence of ATP-binding motif residues indicating that they may be regulated by ATP. Public domain gene expression data and RT-PCR assays confirmed that all the S. mansoni USP genes were transcribed in at least one of the developmental life cycle stages of the helminth. Six of these genes were up-regulated in the miracidium, a free-swimming stage that is critical for transmission to the snail intermediate host. It is possible that during the intra-snail stages, S. mansoni gene transcripts for universal stress proteins are low abundant and are induced to perform specialized functions triggered by environmental stressors such as oxidative stress due to hydrogen peroxide that is present in the snail hemocytes. This report serves to catalyze the formation of a network of researchers to understand the function and regulation of the universal stress proteins encoded in genomes of schistosomes and their snail intermediate hosts

Correlation and Path Coefficient Analyses of Seed Yield and its Contributing Traits in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp

Aims: It is utmost desire for plant breeders to know the extent of relationship between yield and its various components, which will inevitably facilitate selection of desirable characteristics. This research focused on computing the correlation coefficients and path coefficients of yield and its contributing traits in pigeon pea landraces Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. Methods: Seeds of two varieties of locally grown pigeon pea were sown in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in ten replications. The field study was done at the University of Calabar Experimental Farm, University of Calabar, Calabar, South-South, Nigeria, during the 2009-2010 growing season. Correlation coefficients and path coefficients (partitioned into direct and indirect effects) were estimated on yield and its contributing traits. Results: Correlation results revealed that there was significant positive correlations between plant height plant-1 and number of leaves plant-1 (0.926**), leaf area plant-1 (0.574*) and number of seeds plant-1 (0.616*). It also showed that the number of leaves plant-1 was positively correlated with the pod length plant-1 (0.589*) and number of seeds plant-1 (0.682*). Leaf area plant-1 had a positive significant association with the number of seeds plant-1 (0.581*). Additionally, pod length plant-1 correlated positively with the number of seed plant-1 (0.850**) while number of nodules plant-1 correlated positively with 100- seed weight (0.804**). Path coefficient results showed that 100-seed weight had the highest direct effect on yield (0.583), which was positive. This was followed by the pod length plant-1 (0.519), number of leaves (0.452), and leaf area (0.252) while plant height plant-1 had negative direct effect but very high (-0.633). Number of pod plant-1 had the lowest direct effect on yield (0.033). Additionally, genotypic correlation coefficient with yield showed very high coefficients, especially for pod length plant-1 (0.827), 100-seed weight (0.798), number of leaves plant-1 (0.644), plant height plant-1 (0.582) and leaf area plant-1 (0.549), respectively. Number of nodules plant-1 had the lowest genotypic correlation coefficient (0.042) followed by number of flowers plant-1 (-0.063). Conclusion: The two results from correlation and path coefficient analyses strongly suggest that plant height plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, leaf area plant-1 and pod length plant-1 and 100- seed weight should be considered as indices for selecting high yielding pigeon pea genotypes, especially the landraces

Effect of ambient storage condition on the pH and vitamin C content of selected Tetra-Pak packaged fruit juices marketed in Nigeria.

Effect of ambient storage condition on the pH and vitamin C content of selected Tetra-Pak packaged fruit juices marketed in Nigeria were evaluated. These selected commercial fruit juices included CofrutosOrange, Cofrutos Tropical Mixed Fruit, Chivita Mango, Chivita Pineapple, Don Simon Multifruta and PureJoy Apple fruit juices. The juice samples were subjected to an ambient storage condition at mean maximum temperature of 27.8 C for 24 weeks. Periodic analyses were carried out every two weeks starting from day zero to determine the influence of storage on thepHand vitaminCcontent of the juice samples. Vitamin C values presented significant differences (

Microflora population in mangrove sediments of Cross River estuary

No Abstract.Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 13 (3) 2007: pp.347-35

Radio-Sensitivity of Some Selected Landraces of Pulses to Gamma Irradiation: Indices for Use as Improvement and Preservation Techniques

Aim: Effects of gamma irradiation on amino acid profile, proximate and anti-nutritional compositions of selected landraces of pulses were investigated. Methods: Seeds of Brown “Fiofio”, White “Fiofio” (Cajanus cajan) and “Olaudi” (Vigna unguiculata) were exposed to gamma irradiation. Each variety was divided into five groups of fifty grams weight and was exposed to 200, 400, 600, 800Gray (Gy) doses of gamma irradiation from Cobalt60 source while the fifth group served as control. Results: Our results revealed that the proximate, anti-nutritive factors and amino acid profile were significantly (P0.05) affected, there was delayed germination and survival percentage became zero percent on exposure to 400Gy and above. “Olaudi” variety was less affected by the gamma rays exposure going by the result of the days to seedling emergence and percentage survival, making pigeon pea species more sensitive to the irradiation. Conclusion: Taking the results together, it does importantly suggest, however, that lower doses of gamma irradiation might be preferred for achieving the dual purpose of improvement and preservation but high enough to reduce the anti-nutritional factors