Elemental concentration and size relationship in African cuttlefish Sepia bertheloti, from the coastal waters of Qua Iboe River, Nigeria

Ten specimens of African cuttlefish, Sepia bertheloti, from the coastal waters off Qua Iboe River, Southeast Nigeria, were analyzed for the relationship between the concentration of the elements and the size of the species. Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique was employed to determine the elemental composition of the species. Eleven elements were identified in the body of cuttlefish. These were Chlorine, Strontium, Potassium, Calcium, Bromine, Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Nickel and Selenium of these elements, the concentration of calcium, potassium. Copper and strontium had a positive correlation with the weight, while the concentrations of manganese, nickel, chlorine, iron were negatively correlated with their weights. However, only manganese had a significantly negative correlation (p<0. 05). Bromine and zinc had no correlation with the weights of the species. There also existed a significant positive correlation between Ca and K, Se and Ni, Cu, Br and Zn and St and K. We conclude that African cuttlefish, irrespective of size is a rich source of nutritional elements and is especially recommended for pregnant women and for all age groups

Solutions of Schr\"odinger Equation with Generalized Inverted Hyperbolic Potential

We present the bound state solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation with generalized inverted hyperbolic potential using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method. We obtain the energy spectrum and the wave function with this potential for arbitrary - state. We show that the results of this potential reduced to the standard known potentials - Rosen-Morse, Poschl - Teller and Scarf potential as special cases. We also discussed the energy equation and the wave function for these special cases.Comment: 20pages, 5figure

The Challenges of Human Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Way Forward

The increased interaction of societies on a global dimension evidently provides for the overall need for human security especially in the African continent where the number of conflicts is still overwhelming. This paper examined the challenges of human security in Sub-Saharan Africa with a view to suggesting the way forward. Anchored on a qualitative method and with reliance on secondary sources of data, it argued that there is need to better understand the nature of the rapidly evolving large-scale challenges that can have a major impact on individuals and populations. The paper further observed that it is imperative to strengthen the mobilization of wide range of actors involved in policy formulation that affects the unfolding dangers of human security in order to curtail them. It recommended the promotion of human capacity building in African states, assistance to states in the region to tackle HIV/AIDs and other contagious diseases, promoting the active participation of communities and representatives of civil society in the planning and implementation of development programs among others and concluded that though the challenges of human security in the continent are overwhelming, a proper implementation of these measures could ensure security for the vulnerable populations in the region

Public Relations Role and Impact in Managing Environmental Related Crisis in the Niger Delta

That the Niger Delta crisis in Nigeria has assumed a dimension fit to be described as a global affair is not in dispute. What is however disputable is why it has taken so long for the crises to be resolved, especially when obvious pointers to the imbroglio have glaringly posted some strands of frosty relationships. Undoubtedly, the custodians of harmonizedrelationships are the public relations practitioners. This, more than any other reason raises questions of the role and impact public relations stands to contribute resolving and managing the Niger Delta Crisis. Consequently, this paper appraises the Niger Delta situation and highlights the roles and prospective impact of applying public relations strategies/modelsin managing the environmental and resource control centreed crises in the Region

Kinetic Potentials of the Effect of Ethanol on Iron Content of Ashed Cow Liver

The kinetics of the effect of ethanol on iron content of ashed cow liver was investigated. The work revealed that the cow liver contained a very high quantity of iron. The effect of alcohol distilled from palm wine was tested kinetically on the measured concentration of the iron in the ashed cow liver. The depletion in the concentration of the iron was monitored spectrophotometrically at specific time intervals. The analysis showed a gradual decrease in the concentration of iron in the ashed cow liver extract. The initial iron content in the ashed cow liver was 22.6130 mg/l. After 10 minutes of reaction of the local ethanol with the cow liver extract, the quantity of the iron reduced to 7.5443 mg/l. at the end of 90 minutes, the concentration of iron further reduced to 5.3624 mg/l. the half life, rate of reaction, rate constant and order of the reaction were determined. The pH of the reaction mixture was almost constant throughout the time interval of measurement. The average pH was measured to be 6.52, being weakly acidic. The results showed that ethanol reduced or destroyed the concentration of iron present in a biological system

Kinetic Potentials of the Effect of Ethanol on Calcium Content of Ashed Cow Bones

The kinetic study was carried out to determine the calcium content in the ashed cow bone extract and to monitor the rate of deterioration of the calcium content in the presence of alcohol. The cow bone was subjected to pre-treatment processes such as drying, grinding, and ashing. The ashed cow bone was digested in distilled water for 24 hours and then filtered. The calcium extract was determined by titration and a concentration of 86.67 mg/l of calcium was recorded. Kinetic studies were carried out by introducing equal volumes of local ethanol into the standard solution of the calcium and measuring the rate of reaction titrimetrically after every 10 minutes interval. The added ethanol led to a gradual decrease of the concentration of calcium with increase in time. The average pH of the reaction mixture was 7.01. Other kinetic parameters such as rate of reaction, reaction constants, order of reaction, half-life and full life of the kinetics of the effect of ethanol on calcium content of the ashed cow bone was determined. The rate of reaction obtained was 0.63 mg/l/min. The rate constant value obtained was 0.00027272 mg/dm3/min. The kinetics revealed a second order integrated rate law. A half-life of 42.3 minutes was determined which is equivalent to a full life of 84.m minutes. Discussions are made based on the dangers of alcohol intake to the calcium contents of the body

Outbreak of Fatal Childhood Lead Poisoning Related to Artisanal Gold Mining in Northwestern Nigeria, 2010.

Background: In May 2010, a team of national and international organizations was assembled to investigate children's deaths due to lead poisoning in villages in northwestern Nigeria. Objectives: To determine the cause of the childhood lead poisoning outbreak, investigate risk factors for child mortality, and identify children aged <5 years in need of emergency chelation therapy for lead poisoning. Methods: We administered a cross-sectional, door-to-door questionnaire in two affected villages, collected blood from children aged 2-59 months, and soil samples from family compounds. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed with survey, blood-lead, and environmental data. Multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to determine risk factors for childhood mortality. Results: We surveyed 119 family compounds. One hundred eighteen of 463 (25%) children aged <5 years had died in the last year. We tested 59% (204/345) of children, aged <5 years, and all were lead poisoned (≥10 µg/dL); 97% (198/204) of children had blood-lead levels ≥45 µg/dL, the threshold for initiating chelation therapy. Gold ore was processed inside two-thirds of the family compounds surveyed. In multivariate modeling significant risk factors for death in the previous year from suspected lead poisoning included: the child's age, the mother performing ore-processing activities, community well as primary water source, and the soil-lead concentration in the compound. Conclusion: The high levels of environmental contamination, percentage of children aged <5 years with elevated blood-lead levels (97%, >45 µg/dL), and incidence of convulsions among children prior to death (82%) suggest that most of the recent childhood deaths in the two surveyed villages were caused by acute lead poisoning from gold ore-processing activities. Control measures included environmental remediation, chelation therapy, public health education, and control of mining activities

The impact of urbanization and institutions of higher education on Houston Texas' Third Ward Community

University towns are influenced by the features of urbanization and impact greatly on the health of the inhabitants. This paper evaluates the impacts of urbanization on the Third Ward communities that are located within Texas Southern University and the University of Houston. The paper further assesses how characteristics of the urban environment may have affected the population health. The historical background of the Third Ward Houston Texas is first reviewed to determine the extent to which urbanization and the presence of universities have impacted on the quality of life of the residents. The overall effects of urbanization are reviewed using all the available literature with broad emphasis on the physical, and social environments, and access to health and social services. Irrespective of the presence of universities and colleges, the surrounding neighborhood communities of the Third Ward Houston continue to face formidable historic challenges to improving public health and general quality of life. Although, urbanization has brought about reinvestment initiatives, changing demographics, and growth creating changes that offer new opportunities for improving health while requiring that health systems be adapted to residents' health needs, however, the communities remain stagnant and unique. Ultimately, the key factors affecting the quality of life in the Third Ward communities are the physical environment, the social environment, and access to health and social services. Overall, the neighborhood communities of the Third Ward do not seem to respond positively to developmental influence of the universities and colleges and are negatively impacted by urbanization. It is suggested that improvement in the Third Ward areas should require setting local, state, and national agendas for progress. Therefore, certain priorities must be put in place namely, development must reorient around the educational and population dynamics, including cultural diversity, and the growing numbers of elderly. @JASE

Kinetic Potentials of the Effect of Ethanol on Iron Content of Ashed Cow Blood

The kinetic study was carried out to determine the iron content in the ashed cow blood extract. The cow blood was subjected to pretreatment process such as boiling, heating, drying, grinding and ashing. The ashed cow blood was digested in distilled water for 24 hours and then filtered. Few drops of chromic acid was added to the filtrate and left to equilibrate. This was necessary to release iron from the coordinated blood extract. The iron content of the filtered extract was determined spectrophotetrically, using AAS and a concentration of 1.9200 mg/litre of iron was recorded. Kinetic studies were carried out by introducing equal volume of local ethanol into the filtrate and the iron concentration was monitored using AAS at 10 minutes interval. The ethanol led to a gradual decrease of the concentration of iron with increase in time. The average pH of the reaction mixture was 7.5 which was slightly alkaline or near neutral. Other kinetic parameters such as rate of reaction, rate constants, order of reaction, half life and full-life of the kinetics of the effect of ethanol on iron content of the ashed cow blood were determined. The rate of reaction obtained was 0.0215 mg/litre/minute. The rate constant value obtained was 0.010025 mg-dm3min-1. The kinetics revealed a second order type as it was found to fit the second order integrated rate law. A half life value of 51.95 minutes was determined which corresponded to a full life of 103.90 minutes. Discussions are made based on the dangers of alcohol intake to the iron contents of the body

Palm kernel agar: An alternative culture medium for rapid detection of aflatoxins in agricultural commodities

The feasibility of using palm kernel agar (PKA) as an alternative culture medium to desiccated coconut agar (DCA), the conventional medium for the recovery of aflatoxigenic fungi from mixed cultures andthe detection of aflatoxigenic fungi and direct visual determination of aflatoxins in agricultural commodities was assessed. The medium recovered aflatoxigenic fungi in 48 h from mixed cultures andagricultural commodities in 58 h as compared to 62 h obtained for the two treatments on desiccated coconut medium. Aflatoxigenic fungi were detected in all the agricultural commodities except for onions with maize having the highest value of 13.18% (w/w) followed by melon (10.97), yam flour (10.23) and groundnut (8.52) as against 11.48, 10.0, 6.92 and 8.52% (w/w) obtained for DCA. All aflatoxigenic strains produced a characteristic yellow pigmentation on a pink background and blue or blue green fluorescence of palm kernel agar Under long wave UV light (366nm) as against the white background of DCA, which often interferes with fluorescence with corresponding yield of aflatoxins. This shows that the medium is able to efficiently detect aflatoxin production through direct visual observation of fluorescence. Palm kernel agar (PKA) can therefore be routinely used as an alternative culture medium for screening aflatoxigenic fungi and direct visual determination of aflatoxins in agricultural commodities since it is faster and has a unique pink background for easy identificatio