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Study’s Novelty/Excerpt • This review presents a comprehensive categorization and impact analysis of xenobiotics on humans, animals, and the environment, providing a novel synthesis of current knowledge in this field. • It details the diverse sources of xenobiotics, such as microplastics and pesticides, and their pervasive presence in various environmental compartments, highlighting the significant issue of surface runoff contributing to pesticide residue in surface waters. • Additionally, the review innovatively integrates a discussion on advanced detection and removal techniques, including cutting-edge chromatographic methods and bioremediation strategies, offering a holistic approach to understanding and managing xenobiotic pollutants. Full Abstract Xenobiotics are compounds or chemicals to which an organism is exposed, usually in large concentrations that are inessential to the regular pattern of metabolism of that organism. This review emphasised the categorization and impact of xenobiotics on people, animals, and the environment. It also gave a general overview of the process of discharging and detecting xenobiotics and their potential environmental fates. A chart of xenobiotic categories was also provided, including industrial products, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care items, and radioactive waste. Microplastics and pesticides were discussed as xenobiotic chemicals commonly found in freshwater bodies; similarly, the impact of creating substances such as personal care products, medicinal chemicals, and insecticides through technology was discussed as the source of xenobiotics. Additionally, a thorough description of how pesticide pollution affects common environmental compartments such as soils, streambed sediment, groundwater, and surface water is provided since surface runoff accounts for more than 10% of pesticide residue in surface rivers. Effective techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry GC/MS, and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) along with diverse chromatographic techniques were also discussed as techniques for the analysis of xenobiotics. These techniques are often paired with state-of-the-art detection techniques like high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Highlighted as well were techniques for the removal of xenobiotics using membrane processes, improved oxidation processes, engineered wetlands, photocatalytic degradation, biotransformation, bioremediation, photo-remediation, adsorption, and bioremediation to decrease the side effects.

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt • This study provides novel insights into the seasonal variability of physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton composition in Ajiwa Reservoir, Katsina State, Nigeria, revealing significant correlations between these factors. • By analyzing data collected over a ten-month period, the research highlights the influence of seasonal changes on water quality and phytoplankton abundance, with a notably higher abundance observed in the wet season compared to the dry season. • This comprehensive approach underscores the critical impact of environmental fluctuations on reservoir ecosystems, offering valuable information for future water resource management and conservation efforts. Full Abstract Anthropogenic activities, climatic changes, and dam geology have been reported to influence the productivity of reservoirs. This study aimed to determine the seasonal variability of physico-chemical parameters, phytoplankton composition, and abundance in Ajiwa Reservoir, Katsina State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected from December 2022 to September 2023 and analyzed for phytoplankton composition and physico-chemical conditions using standard methods. The results revealed that the mean water temperature (25.12±3.76оC), pH (7.03±0.55), dissolved oxygen (6.84±0.75mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (3.00±0.79mg/L), electrical conductivity (119.67±14.40μЅ/cm), total dissolved solids (16.55±4.80mg/L), turbidity (100.47±14.56NTU), water hardness (86.46±4.93mg/L), nitrate-nitrogen (7.91±2.69mg/L), and phosphate-phosphorus (5.43±2.40mg/L) were significantly different across seasons (P < 0.05). The percentage compositions of phytoplankton were Chlorophyceae (33.50%), Bacillariophyceae (22.36%), Cyanophyceae (12.57%), Cryptophyceae (12.48%), Euglenophyceae (6.58%), and Dinophyceae (4.55%) from four sampling sites during the study period. Phytoplankton were found to be more abundant in the wet season (858) than the dry season (327). The correlation matrix showed significant correlations between phytoplankton and physicochemical parameters. The compositions of phytoplankton in the reservoir were affected by seasonal variations and fluctuations in physicochemical parameters.

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt • This study investigates the antibacterial potential of endophytic fungi associated with Psidium guajava leaves against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing novel antimicrobial properties. • Through isolation and identification of eight endophytic fungi, four were found to exhibit significant antibacterial activity. • This work highlights the potential of endophytic fungi from P. guajava as a promising source of new antibacterial agents, contributing to the ongoing search for solutions to antimicrobial resistance. Full Abstract Antimicrobial resistance has been recognized as a major issue of public health concern and it remains a global threat of the health care system. Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants are reported as promising reservoir of novel antibiotics. The study aim was to determine the antibacterial potential of endophytic fungi associated with Psidium gaujava leaf against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Leaves of P. guajava were surface sterilized and inoculated on plates of Potato Dextrose Agar and incubated at room temperature. Endophytic fungal isolates that emerged were identified using their macroscopic (cultural) and microscopic characteristics. The endophytes were screen for antibacterial activity on E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates. Antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi ethyl acetate extracts with antibacterial activity was also evaluated against isolates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae by agar well diffusion technique. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations of the ethyl acetate extracts were also determined. Eight endophytic fungi were isolated from P. guajava leaves and four had antibacterial activity namely: Gonatobotrys sp. P21, Xylaria sp. P11, Fusarium sp. P22 and Trichoderma sp. P25. The extracts exhibited antibacterial activity with zones of inhibition ranging from 11.5 ± 0.5mm to 18.5 ± 1.5mm for E. coli and 12.5 ± 0.5mm to 21.0 ±1.0mm for K. pneumoniae. The MIC was found to be 500mg/mL and 250mg/mL for E. coli and K. pneumoniae respectively. Endophytic fungi isolated from P. gaujava leaf are potential source of novel antibacterial drug since they possess antibacterial activity against isolates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae.

Tuberculosis of animal origin is currently in the increase, especially in the developing countries like Nigeria where animals and man share microenvironment together coupled with lack of proper control measures. The disease due to Mycobacterium bovis has zoonotic implication. Systematic methodology was adopted where peer-reviewed, scholarly journals in Scopus, PubMed, Google search engines were used. The articles used were on studies in Nigeria and elsewhere and that were published in Nigeria and other parts of the world. It is therefore important to have adequate control programmes, proper food hygienic practices and collaborations between Veterinary and Human Medical Personnel in order to control and later eradicate the disease. The objective of this manuscript was to review the work of earlier workers on tuberculosis in animals and to a certain extent its impact on humans. There is also the need to educate the populace on the dangers of the disease in both human and animals.

Re-dyeing of fabric materials using synthetic dyes (such as reactive dyes) is fast spreading in metropolitan Kano which causes serious damage to the ecosystems. This study was carried out to compare the potentials of Aspergillus terreus, Bacillus species and Chlorella vulgaris in bioremediation and adsorption of reactive red 198 (RR198) dye used in fabric re-dyeing. This was achieved through inoculation of pure cultures of the organisms in the dye solution. The highest percentage adsorption for all the test organisms was recorded after 48 hours of inoculation, with Chlorella vulgaris displaying 86.4%, Bacillus species, 84.4% and Aspergillus terreus, 69.8% of dye adsorption. The results showed statistically significant difference in dye adsorption among the three species with Chlorella vulgaris having the highest adsorption potential compared to the Bacillus species and Aspergillus terreus. The adsorption process fitted with the Freundlich's isotherm, revealing a multilayer adsorption pattern. There is need for the introduction of better strategies that detoxify dyes before discharging into the environment to avoid further contamination.

The consumption of ready-to-eat foods vended in streets have raised public health concern in terms of food safety implying their microbiological quality status could be questionable; consequently, this study therefore aimed at investigating consortium of microbes present in ready-to-eat foods vended in five streets of Gombe metropolis. Traditional culture method was adopted for the isolation of microorganisms via pour plating method, then identification by colonial morphology, Gram staining and microscopy, and further biochemical analysis for confirmation of microbes. Findings revealed the presence of sixteen diverse microorganisms of bacteria and fungi lineage with varied percentage of occurrences. Microorganisms isolated ranges from spoilage group (P. aeruginosa (11.5%), Rhizopus spp (4%)), Coliform (E. coli (34.5%), K. pneumoniae (16.1%)), pathogenic (S. typhi (15%), Shigella spp (2.30%), S. aureus (12.6%), P. aeruginosa (11.5%), Aspergillus niger (26%), Aspergillus flavus (18%), Fusarium oxysporum (4%)) and opportunistic pathogens (Aspergillus fumigates (14%), Penicillium spp. (4%)) – where the pathogenic microbes are known to cause food-borne diseases and fungal poisoning. Accordingly, the presence of these pathogenic microbes suggests significant public health hazards. Therefore, stringent enforcement of standard and food safety measures is advised to curtail future outbreak of food-borne diseases.

The objective was to determine the accuracy of color Doppler ultrasound for diagnosis of early pregnancy in buffaloes based on the evaluation of corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) on days 20 and 21 after mating. Local Egyptian buffaloes, (n=12) during 3rd and 4th lactational season were kept in the farm of Animal Reproduction Research Institute (ARRI). The animals were divided into two groups, group A (n=6) was mated naturally by a fertile bull during late estrus phase and group B (n=6) was left. Animals underwent grayscale ultrasonography (US) to locate the CL , then color flow Doppler and power Doppler were activated to evaluate CLBF and pulsed wave Doppler to evaluate uterine blood flow on days 1,5,10,12,14,16,18,19,20,21,23,25,27,30 after mating, using a portable, battery operated color Doppler and B-mode ultrasound scanner equipped with a 10-5MHz, rectal transducer (M-turbo, Fujifilm sonosite, USA). Based on subjective (visual) and objective (Doppler parameters) corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) evaluation. Animals in group A were classified as pregnant or non- pregnant on day 20 and day 21 after mating depending on CLBF. Blinded from results of the previous diagnosis, we performed a final pregnancy diagnosis using US to visualize the fetal heartbeat on day 30 after mating. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein after examination to determine by ELIZA kits, serum estradiol and progesterone concentration. The final pregnancy outcome on day 30 was retrospectively compared with the CLBF on days 20 and 21 diagnoses and then classified as true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the CLBF-d20-21 test were calculated using specific equations. The CLBF decreased markedly on days 20-21 in case of non-mated group (CL regression), while it remained constant or slightly increased in case of pregnant animals. Moreover the uterine blood flow markedly increased in case of non-mated group during the same period.

Abstract Functionalization of cellulose with nanomaterials and functional groups is essential for enhancing its properties for specific applications, such as flexible sensors and printed electronics. This study employs Hartree Fock (HF) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the vibrational spectra of cellulose, identifying DFT: B3LYP/3–21 g** as the optimal model aligning with experimental spectra. Using this model, we examined the impact of functionalizing cellulose with various groups (OH, NH2, COOH, CH3, CHO, CN, SH) and graphene oxide (GO) on its electronic properties. The results indicate that cellulose functionalized with GO (Cellulose-GO) has the lowest bandgap energy (0.1687 eV), and improvements in reactivity, stability, and electronic properties were confirmed through Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MESP) and Total Dipole Moment (TDM) analyses. The spectrum of Density of States (DOS) for the cellulose functionalized with different groups shows several peaks, indicating various energy levels where electronic states are concentrated. The Projected Density of States (PDOS) analysis reveals how different functional groups affect the electronic structure of cellulose. Moreover, the (Cellulose-GO) composite was characterized using an Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometer, revealing interaction through the OH group of CH2OH, as indicated by a new band at 1710 cm−1, consistent with theoretical predictions. Overall, this study demonstrates that functionalization with GO enhances cellulose’s responsiveness, degradation, and electrical properties, making it suitable for applications in flexible electronic devices and protective barriers against corrosion.

Abstract Povidone-iodine is identified as one of the widely applicable antiseptic reagents for treatment of skin infection and wound healing. Controllable releasing of povidone-iodine is extensively required for healing of chronic wounds. The release of povidone-iodine was systematically studied from the composites based on carboxymethyl starch (CMS). Currently, different ratios from copper precursor and L-aspartic acid (L-AA) were interacted with CMS to obtain Cu-L-AA@CMS composites. Increment the percentage of L-AA was reflected in clustering of dense masses from the desirable composite with highly crystalline/stable structural network. Regardless to pH conditions, Cu-L-AA(30%)@CMS composite showed the highest efficiency for controllable release of povidone-iodine, whereas, the release percentages were estimated to be 58%, 32% and 18% at pH 5, 7 and 9, respectively. The kinetic results revealed the impossibility of povidone-iodine releasing via diffusion/erosion for further support of the hypothesis of releasing via swelling process. Moreover, the release of povidone-iodine using column technique showed that the lowest release was estimated at using high rate of 6 mL/min. Besides the biocompatibility and biodegradability of the prepared Cu-L-AA@CMS composites, it showed the superiority for controllable release of povidone-iodine antiseptic reagent to regulate its beneficial effect in curing of the skin.

Abstract The auto-combustion method synthesized CuO NPs and Ag/CuO NPs. The Ag/CuO NPs were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy instrumental analyses. The energy band gap, as determined by DRS properties, decreases from 3.82 to 3.50 eV for pure CuO and 10% Ag/CuO NPs, respectively. The photodegradation efficiency of Rhodamine-B & Carmine by 10% Ag/CuO NPs was nearly 98.9 and 97.8%, respectively. Antimicrobial trials revealed that the antimicrobial efficacy of Ag/CuO NPs at several dosages (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 µg/mL) against human pathogens was initially assessed using the agar well-diffusion method, and then the broth dilution method. Noticeably, the minimum inhibitory concentration of Ag/CuO NPs for all pathogens ranged from 100 to 120 µg/ml, was determined. Generally, the observed minimum microbicide concentration has a wide range of Ag/CuO NPs doses, ranging from 150 to 300 µg/ml, which helps kill (99.99%) all tested pathogenic cells. The largest relative inhibitory activities (%) were recorded against Escherichia coli (81.45 ± 1.39) at 120 g/mL of Ag/CuO NPs and 100 μg/mL (80.43 ± 0.59), followed by 80 µg/mL (72.33 ± 0.82). Additionally, the lowest relative inhibitory activities (%) were monitored versus fungal cells and Gram-positive bacteria at 120 µg/mL of Ag/CuO NPs as 52.17 ± 1.49 and 53.42 ± 1.71; respectively. Graphic abstract

A study on the water quality assessment using benthic macroinvertebrates in Thomas Dam, Dambatta Kano State was carried out fortnightly for a period of four months (January – April, 2016). Four sampling sites were chosen based on the vegetation pattern and impact of human activities on the dam. Modified Ekman grab sampler was used for benthic Macroinvertebrates collection and identified using standard identification keys. Standard methods were used to determine the physicochemical parameters. The mean range of physicochemical parameters studied were; water temperature (19.6±1.12 - 23.0±1.00 °C), pH (7.6±0.20 - 8.2± 0.25), DO (6.1±2.88 - 9.4±0.24mg/L), BOD (3.0±0.30-5.6±0.25mg/L), TDS (150.6±2.88-183.3±5.77mg/L), Tubidity (18.8±0.80 - 41.9±0.26NTU), Electrical conductivity (161.3±1.52 - 195.6±0.57µS/cm), N03-N (1.2±0.19 - 3.5±0.20mg/L), and PO43-P (0.1±0.05 - 0.3±0.03mg/L).There was no significant difference between the sampling sites in physicochemical parameters (P Coeloptera (28%) > Diptera (12.7%) > Annelida (11.4%) > Trichoptera (4.96%) > Placoptera (3.6%) > Ephemeroptera (3%) > Hemiptera( 0.85%) > Odonata ( 0.08%). Correlation analysis between benthic Macro invertebrates distribution and abundance and physicochemical parameters showed a strong positive relationship (P

Abstract Background Psychiatric disorders had been reported with higher prevalence among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), [PLWHA] than the general population and its presence could confer poorer prognosis on infected individuals. However, there is limited research on the above subject matter in the North-Central part of Nigeria. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of common psychiatric disorders (CPD) among adult out-patients PLWHA at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria. Methods It was a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted among 363 respondents attending the UITH Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) clinic between March and May 2019. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to assess the prevalence of CPD among respondents. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21 and p value of

Due to the radiation released by commonly used isotopes, many nuclear, medical, and industrial facilities require proper radiation shielding. In this work, distinct copper borate glasses intercalated with varied aluminum and vanadium oxide (Al2O3 and V2O5) content have been synthesized and used against radiation (gamma rays and fast/thermal neutrons). The different percents were as follows: [60% B2O3 + 35% CuO + (5-x)% Al2O3 + xV2O5], where x = 0, 1, and 2.5 wt.%, which was coded as BCu(5-x)Al:xV. The synthesized glass samples were characterized using Fourier transforms, infrared, and X-Raydiffraction analysis. Experimentally, the radiation shielding possessions of the samples were established using an HPGe detector at the gamma energy lines 0.356 MeV, 0.661 MeV, 1.173 MeV, and 1.332 MeV. Also, the prepared glasses were investigated theoretically using the Monte Carlo code (MCNP5) at photon energies of 0.015–15 MeV. Also, the fast and thermal neutron macroscopic effective removal cross-sections were calculated using MRCsC and JANIS-4.1 software, respectively. The prepared sample BCu2.5Al:2.5V, which has a vanadium and aluminum content of 2.5%, has the highest linear attenuation coefficient as well as the highest removal cross-section for fast, and thermal neutrons.

Young children frequently exhibit persistent overconfidence when evaluating their own physical and cognitive abilities. Although task persistence due to overconfidence may be beneficial in some instances, it may also have adverse effects on academic performance. For example, children may reduce cognitive effort because they mistakenly believe that they understand novel tasks. The present work examined two contexts under which young children make more accurate predictions regarding their own ability to recall previously presented items: peer modeling and the number of items to be recalled. Two experiments using the picture recall paradigm demonstrated that both peer modeling and item magnitude may positively impact prediction accuracy and decrease overconfidence in young children. Despite the impact of these interventions on children's recall predictions as a whole, most children were still overconfident in their judgments of learning (JOL). Thus, lending support to our hypothesis that targeted interventions may reduce, but not eliminate, children's overconfidence in their own cognitive abilities.