Development of a Molecular Assay for Caribbean Coral Identification

As coral cover has declined throughout the Caribbean, interest in the role that recruitment processes play in reef recovery has increased. Studies investigating these processes have been hampered by the inability to identify many species of coral larvae or recently settled recruits using morphology. In this study, the utility of targeting the non-coding internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions with a multiplex PCR assay to identify common Caribbean coral species was explored. To design this assay, a database of ITS sequences was developed for 17 Caribbean scleractinian coral species that are important reef builders and/or common in the Florida Keys. It was predicted that the ITS region would contain enough genetic variation to allow for separation of these corals to the species level, and that this variation could be targeted using a single-step nested multiplex PCR technique. Analyzing the ITS region, sufficient genetic variation was detected that would allow for nine of the seventeen Caribbean coral species targeted to be categorized to the genus level, and the remaining eight to the species level. Subsequently, three genus-specific primers and six species-specific primers were designed for use in a SSNM-PCR protocol that facilitates coral identification. While still under development, this genetic assay showed significant promise as an efficient method of identifying planula larvae and recently settled coral recruits to the genus or species level. The increased accuracy and abbreviated timeframe offered by this technique for identifying coral larvae and recruits justifies its use as a tool for evaluating Caribbean reef recovery moving forward

Assessment of Performance Properties of Stabilized Lateritic Soil for Road Construction in Ekiti State.

Soil Stabilization usually enhances performance properties of soil. This can foster waste to wealth policy in country like Nigeria. The aim of this study is to assess performance properties of a stabilized lateritic soil with a view to obtain a cheap and more effective additive. Soil samples were collected from the study area and subjected to Compaction and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) laboratory tests with the addition of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and Egg Shell Ash (ESA). Results showed that MDD, OMC and CBR values varied from 1575Kg/m3 to 1930Kg/m3, 7.55% to 18.50% and 20% to 131% respectively for sample A. And 1566Kg/m3 to 1896Kg/m3, 7.53% to 16.90% and 16% to 98% respectively for sample B. The MDD values decrease with increase in the additives contents due to the replacement of soil by the additives in the mixture, coating of the soil by additives which resulted in large particles with larger voids and density; and addition of the additives which decreased the quality of free silt, clay fraction and coarse materials with large surface areas formed. OMC values also increase as the additives increase, though, that of RHA increases more than that of ESA. This is due to the increase in additives which resulted to increase in the amount of water required in the system to adequately lubricate all the particles in the mixture equally increase. Generally, CBR values also increase with increase in the additives contents. This could be attributed to gradual formation of cementitious compound between the additives and Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) present in the soil, thus increase in coarse particles of the soil through cementation

Study of Mechanical Properties of Stabilized Lateritic Soil with Additives.

The overdependence on the USAge of industrially manufactured soil improved or conventional additives have resulted in unaffordable cost of construction of better infrastructure in Third World and poor countries which are mostly agriculturally dependent across Globe. This study is aimed at studying the mechanical properties of lateritic soil stabilized with mixture of conventional and locally available additives. Soil samples collected from the study area were subjected to laboratory tests (i.e. Grain Size and Atterberg Limits tests) after stabilized with cement, ESA and RHA additives at proportion of 2% to 10% by sample weight. It is observed that the LL, PL and PI values varied from 30.1% to 35.5%, 9.9% to 12.5% and 20.1% to 23.2% respectively for sample A. While LL, PL and PI values varied from 35.2% to 41.5%, 10.8% to 14.5% and 24.4% to 27.1% respectively for sample B. It could be generally observed that PI values reduced while PL values increased for the soil samples after increase in addition of cement additive from 6% to 8%. All the LL, PL and PI values also reduced as the percentage of RHA additive added increased. Soil sample A has group classifications of A – 2 – 6 while soil sample B has A – 7 and tend towards A – 2 - 6 and A - 6 after stabilization. The stabilization process using local additives as partial replacement of conventional one generally improved the soils Engineering properties. Though it is more felt in ESA than RHA. Further research work should be carried out

Contemporary Price Trends and their Economic Significance in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

The objective of this study was to examine the current trend in price of staples and the possible effect on income. Price volatility is explained by changes in the trend itself, and to a lesser extent by variation around its mean (historical volatility approach), which is based on observed past prices. This measure was adopted to gauge the variation in commodity price around the mean. The results show that although prices increased steadily over the years, volatility was relatively minimal between 2002 and 2006 as compared to the period after. Unlike the cereals, more than 50% of vegetables traded on the markets are imported from neighbouring countries. The price range for vegetables was thus much wider than cereals. Supply shortfalls and transportation cost were cited as the two most significant factors contributing to rising prices on the markets. The findings confirm theoretical evidence that unexpected increase in prices erode the purchasing power of consumers, especially the poor who spend much of their incomes on food. A consumer receiving the current minimum wage and spending everything on the respective commodities within one month lost substantially in terms of volumes purchased between 2006 and 2013. For instance, the quantity of tomatoes and maize purchased declined by 74% and 65% respectively between 2006 and 2007. The trend suggests that uncontrolled volatility in prices has serious effects on income and for that matter food security. Stakeholders need to target production increase and improved distribution systems as means to reduce price volatility, which will protect poor consumers against the challenge of coping with wide price variations. Keywords: Price trend, volatility, income, coefficient of variation, standard deviatio

Gender variation in self-reported likelihood of HIV infection in comparison with HIV test results in rural and urban Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Behaviour change which is highly influenced by risk perception is a major challenge that HIV prevention efforts need to confront. In this study, we examined the validity of self-reported likelihood of HIV infection among rural and urban reproductive age group Nigerians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of Nigerians. We investigated the concordance between self-reported likelihood of HIV and actual results of HIV test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether selected respondents' characteristics affect the validity of self-reports.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The HIV prevalence in the urban population was 3.8% (3.1% among males and 4.6% among females) and 3.5% in the rural areas (3.4% among males and 3.7% among females). Almost all the respondents who claimed they have high chances of being infected with HIV actually tested negative (91.6% in urban and 97.9% in rural areas). In contrast, only 8.5% in urban areas and 2.1% in rural areas, of those who claimed high chances of been HIV infected were actually HIV positive. About 2.9% and 4.3% from urban and rural areas respectively tested positive although they claimed very low chances of HIV infection. Age, gender, education and residence are factors associated with validity of respondents' self-perceived risk of HIV infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Self-perceived HIV risk is poorly sensitive and moderately specific in the prediction of HIV status. There are differences in the validity of self-perceived risk of HIV across rural and urban populations.</p

Petrophysical Evaluation Using Well Logs 3D Models and Mud Log Hydrocarbon Typing Analysis: Case Study of an Onshore Niger Delta Field

Petrophysical evaluation is essential to the upstream sector of every exploration company in the oil industry because accurate formation evaluation enables reserve development models for uptimal well production and management. The study was carried out on an onshore Niger Delta field using eight wells with the objectives of  identifying possible reservoir units with the potential to contain hydrocarbons, delineate hydrocarbon type(oil and gas), and quantify the identified hydrocarbons for possible viable reservoir development and production using both well logs and mud logs as data sets.  Formation evaluation using fluorescence and hydrocarbon typing/potential (qualitative) of the mud logs revealed oil and gas zones (SMKs 6, 13 and 14) and oil zones (SMK 12) corroborated excellently by quick look well log formation evaluation using Density-Neutron Overlays. Quantitative petrophysical evaluation for all wells was made using models from Wireline/MWD logs of the case study reservoir (SAND_O) to account for delineated hydrocarbon zones and results showed sufficient porosity (0.15 – 0.28), Volume of shale (0 – 0.2%), hydrocarbon saturation (60% to 90%) for possible well development with a STOIIP estimate of about 15MBO (million barrels oil equivalent). Keywords: Petrophysical Evaluation, Fluorescence, Hydrocarbon potential, Stock Tank Oil Initially In Place, Niger Delt

Towards Remote Electronic Voting Systems

During the last few years, a lot of research has been done to create voting protocols and election systems that facilitate voting via private computer networks, the Internet or remote mobile terminals. The interest in e-voting on one hand is founded in problems such as violence, intimidation, ballot stuffing, underage and multiple voting, complicity of security agencies, absence or late arrival of election materials etc which often characterise conventional voting systems. On the other hand, it is based upon interest and attention devoted to e-government, e-democracy, e-governance, etc. In this paper, a critical appraisal of e-voting variants; the benefits and risks associated with the various electronic voting methods and electronic voting systems were presented and exhaustively discussed

Mismatch between Anthropometry Characteristics of Nigerian Occupational Bus Drivers and the In-Vehicle Measurement

The characterization of interfacing elements of in-vehicle and driver’s anthropometric variables of a randomly selected operators with sample size of 161 subjects of commercial buses in the study area were considered in this work. Participatory ergonomic intervention approach was employed in data mining, opinion gathering and subsequent analysis. Related variables between the two systems were compared to establish fitness as well as the level to which human operator were accommodated in the vehicle dimension. A few cases of misfit were recorded based on drivers’ opinion and the measurements taken. Work related musculoskeletal disorder experienced by the users under study were traceable to inappropriate design variable of the in-vehicle elements.    

Eudragit E100 and Polysaccharide Polymer Blends as Matrices for Modified-Release Drug Delivery I: Physicomechanical Properties

Purpose: To compare the effects of two states of polymer/polymer blending (dry and aqueous/lyophilized) on the physicomechanical properties of tablets, containing blends of locust bean gum (LB) with Eudragit® E100 (E100) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) as matrices.Methods: LB, SCMC and E100 were blended in their dry (as purchased) state or modified by aqueous blending and subsequent lyophilization, prior to use as matrices in tablets. The polymer blends were characterized by infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), flow and compressibility tests, as well as physicomechanical analysis of their tablets.Results: No significant variations were noticeable in the FTIR peaks of the individual polymers in the dry and the aqueous/lyophilized states. Aqueous/lyophilized blending of the polymers resulted in better flow properties. The aqueous/lyophilized matrices were denser with improved mechanical strength and the tablets were harder than those produced from dry blended polymers.Conclusion: Dry blending of LB with E100 and SCMC greatly improved the physicomechanical properties of the tablets. This was further enhanced by aqueous/lyophilized blending.Keywords: Drug delivery, Polymer blend, Eudragit, Locust bean gum, Levodopa, Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Matrix, Physicomechanical propertie

Eudragit E100 and Polysaccharide Polymer Blends as Matrices for Modified-Release Drug Delivery II: Swelling and Release Studies

Purpose: To compare the effects of two states of polymer/polymer blending (dry and aqueous/lyophilized) of locust bean gum with Eudragit® E100 and sodium carboxymethylcellulose on swelling and drug (levodopa) release from their tablet matrices.Methods: Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC), Eudragit® (E100) and locust bean (LB) were blended in their dry (as purchased) state or modified by aqueous blending and subsequent lyophilization prior to use as tablet matrices. The tablets were evaluated for swelling and in vitro drug release. Furthermore, in vivo absorption was predicted from the in vitro release data by convolution method.Results: E100 matrices exhibited little or no swelling while the matrices of SCMC and LB and their blends exhibited a degree of swelling &gt; 180 %. Aqueous blending and lyophilization modulated the rate of release from matrices formulated with LB, SCMC and their polymer/polymer blends. Drug release profiles of the lyophilized polymer/polymer blends matrices were dissimilar to those of the dry polymer/polymer blends. Formulations F1aq, F2aq and F3aq exhibited fairly uniform absorption in the first 8 h, indicating the possibility of producing a steady delivery of drug.Conclusion: Polymer blending of LB, SCMC and E100, achieved by aqueous blending and lyophilization, enhances the performance of the matrices thereby exhibiting controlled levodopa release with no burst effect and the tablets retained their three-dimensional network.Keywords: Controlled release, Drug delivery, Eudragit, Locust bean, Levodopa, Matrix, Polymer blend, Sodium carboxymethylcellulos