In vitro sensitivity pattern of some urinary tract isolates to Carica papaya extracts

Powdered leaves of Carica papaya(L.) were extracted with ethanol and partitioned in chloroform and distilled water. The extract and fractions were tested for antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas species using disc diffusion and microbroth dilution technique. The extract and fractions were further subjected to phytochemical tests for the presence of secondary metabolites using standard procedures. Results of sensitivity test results showed that ethanol extract of the leaf was active against E. coli and K. pneumoniae (7mm each) at 1000μg/disc concentration while chloroform and water fractions of the leaf were active against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis at 1000μg/disc concentration with zone diameter of 7mm each. Both the extract and fractions were inactive against P. aeruginosa at all concentrations used in this study. The results of phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids and tannins in either ethanol extract, fraction(s) or both. This indicates that the Carica papaya has the potential for the production of drugs against organisms causing urinary tract infections. Keywords: Sensitivity, Clinical isolates, Urinary tract, Carica papaya, Extract, Fraction

Disentangling superconducting and magnetic orders in NaFe_1-xNi_xAs using muon spin rotation

Muon spin rotation and relaxation studies have been performed on a "111" family of iron-based superconductors NaFe_1-xNi_xAs. Static magnetic order was characterized by obtaining the temperature and doping dependences of the local ordered magnetic moment size and the volume fraction of the magnetically ordered regions. For x = 0 and 0.4 %, a transition to a nearly-homogeneous long range magnetically ordered state is observed, while for higher x than 0.4 % magnetic order becomes more disordered and is completely suppressed for x = 1.5 %. The magnetic volume fraction continuously decreases with increasing x. The combination of magnetic and superconducting volumes implies that a spatially-overlapping coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity spans a large region of the T-x phase diagram for NaFe_1-xNi_xAs . A strong reduction of both the ordered moment size and the volume fraction is observed below the superconducting T_C for x = 0.6, 1.0, and 1.3 %, in contrast to other iron pnictides in which one of these two parameters exhibits a reduction below TC, but not both. The suppression of magnetic order is further enhanced with increased Ni doping, leading to a reentrant non-magnetic state below T_C for x = 1.3 %. The reentrant behavior indicates an interplay between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity involving competition for the same electrons. These observations are consistent with the sign-changing s-wave superconducting state, which is expected to appear on the verge of microscopic coexistence and phase separation with magnetism. We also present a universal linear relationship between the local ordered moment size and the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature TN across a variety of iron-based superconductors. We argue that this linear relationship is consistent with an itinerant-electron approach, in which Fermi surface nesting drives antiferromagnetic ordering.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures, Correspondence should be addressed to Prof. Yasutomo Uemura: [email protected]

Frustrated network of indirect exchange paths between tetrahedrally coordinated Co in Ba2 CoO4

We present a detailed study of the electronic and magnetic interactions of Ba2CoO4, structurally very uncommon because of the isolated CoO4 distorted tetrahedral coordination. We show the presence of Co(d)-O(p) hybridized states characterized by spin polarized oxygen atoms, with their magnetic moments parallel to that on Co. The calculated isotropic exchange interaction parameters, which include the contributions from ligand spins, demonstrate the presence of a three-dimensional (3D) network of magnetic couplings that are partially frustrated in the identified magnetic ground state. Our results indicate that the dominant indirect exchange mechanism responsible for this ground state is mediated by O atoms along the Co-O »O-Co path

COVID-19 related olfactory dysfunction prevalence and natural history in ambulatory patients

Background: Evidence regarding prevalence of COVID-19 related Olfactory dysfunction (OD) among ambulatory patients is highly variable due to heterogeneity in study population and measurement methods. Relatively few studies have longitudinally investigated OD in ambulatory patients with objective methods. Methods: We performed a longitudinal study to investigate OD among COVID-19 ambulatory patients compared to symptomatic controls who test negative. Out of 81 patients enrolled, 45 COVID-19 positive patients and an age- and sex-matched symptomatic control group completed the BSIT and a questionnaire about smell, taste and nasal symptoms. These were repeated at 1 month for all COVID-19 positive patients, and again at 3 months for those who exhibited persistent OD. Analysis was performed by mixed-effects linear and logistic regression. Results: 46.7% of COVID-19 patients compared to 3.8% of symptomatic controls exhibited OD at 1-week post diagnosis (p<0.001). At 1 month, 16.7%, (6 of 36), of COVID-19 patients had persistent OD. Mean improvement in BSIT score in COVID-19 patients between 1-week BSIT and 1 month follow-up was 2.0 (95% CI 1.00 – 3.00, p<0.001). OD did not correlate with nasal congestion (r= −0.25, 95% CI, −0.52 to 0.06, p=0.12). Conclusions: Ambulatory COVID-19 patients exhibited OD significantly more frequently than symptomatic controls. Most patients regained normal olfaction by 1 month. The BSIT is a simple validated and objective test to investigate the prevalence of OD in ambulatory patients. OD did not correlate with nasal congestion which suggests a congestion-independent mechanism of OD

Fungi Associated with the Spoilage of Post-harvest Tomato Fruits Sold in Major Markets in Awka, Nigeria

Abstract Tomato contains large amount of water which makes it more susceptible to spoilage by fungi

Optimizing Coverage in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Binary Ant Colony Algorithm with Hill Climbing

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play a vital role in various fields, but ensuring optimal coverage poses a significant challenge due to the limited energy resources that constrain sensor nodes. To address this issue, this paper presents a novel approach that combines the binary ant colony algorithm (BACA), a variant of ant colony optimization (ACO), with other search optimization algorithms, such as hill climbing (HC) and simulated annealing (SA). The BACA is employed to generate an initial solution by emulating the foraging behavior of ants and the pheromone trails they leave behind in their search for food. However, we acknowledge that the BACA alone may not guarantee the most optimal solution. Subsequently, HC and SA are optimization search algorithms that refine the initial solution obtained by the BACA to find a more enhanced solution. Through extensive simulations and experiments, we demonstrate that our proposed approach results in enhanced coverage and energy-efficient coverage in a two-dimensional (2D) field. Interestingly, our findings reveal that HC consistently outperforms SA, particularly in less complex search spaces, leveraging its robust exploitation approach. Our research contributes valuable insights into optimizing WSN coverage, highlighting the superiority of HC in this context. Finally, we outline promising future research directions that can advance the optimization of WSN coverage

Karl Popper and the production of scientific knowledge through the non-recognition of the sacred

Africa is a geographical space where the “impossibilities” are given sacred status. Some occurrences are attributed to one or more sacred or spiritual entities whose intervention or presence can never be questioned. Whoever interrogates such a force is often seen as either abnormal or irresponsible. More often than not, one is bound to ask: Where are the intellectuals whose ideas should be able to remove these biases or veils from the minds of people? But the unfortunate thing is that they too are involved in this despondency. The fundamental problem here is that there is underdevelopment everywhere especially as it relates to science. But Popper had a different idea in mind. His idea is that science flourishes more where nothing is sacred. So, what has Popper done to ensure that sacred entities are overlooked while espousing scientific ideals? Leveraging on the critical method, which is an exercise of careful judgment or evaluation, this work demonstrates that scientific progress is a product of deconstruction of the spiritual aspect of reality. This work will be of benefit for humanity because it will, with instances, show that progress is a product of falsification of the products/processes of the sacred

Effects of Depth and Seasons on the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Quality of Selected Well Water Samples in Awka Urban, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: The people of Awka urban show an increasing trend of using well water resulting to unreliable and quality-compromised water supply.&#x0D; Aim: Effects of depth and seasons on the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of selected well water samples in Awka urban, Anambra State was conducted to determine their quality and suitability for domestic uses. A total of thirty shallow and deep well water samples were collected during the rainy and dry seasons.&#x0D; Methods: Physicochemical analysis was carried out using standard analytical methods. The total bacterial count was determined by dilution method.&#x0D; Results: Some of the physicochemical parameters (PH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, cadmium, lead and arsenic) exceeded the World Health Organization maximum containment levels indicating that the samples were unfit for domestic uses. The bacterial counts ranged from 2.66 to 3.26 logcfu/ml during the rainy season and 2.54 to 3.20 logcfu/ml during the dry season. The total coliform counts also exceeded the W.H.O levels. Citrobacter freundii, Shigella flexneri, Serratia marcescens, Proteus vulgaris, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were isolated during both seasons and identified using standard analytical procedures. The bacterium that had the highest frequency of occurrence during the rainy season was Citrobacter freundii (16.55%) while Salmonella typhi had the highest frequency of occurrence during the dry season (17.69%) respectively. Proteus vulgaris had the least frequency of occurrence 5.41% and 4.62% during the rainy and dry seasons respectively. The results were analyzed statistically using two-way analysis of variance. Higher bacterial counts were recorded in rainy season and shallow wells than dry season and deeper wells.&#x0D; Conclusion: The presence of these bacteria above admissible limits showed that the water lacked proper water management services and may be harmful to humans. There is therefore a need to monitor the well water quality by employing better sanitary practices and subjecting the waters through various forms of water treatments before use to help prevent disease outbreak.</jats:p