Search

The relationship between clay composition and on organic matter content, Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity, bulk density and location of soils in a different part of the Kano River Irrigation Project (KRIP) was studied by taking soil samples from forty (40) sectors. Sampling was done from the depth of 0-45 cm with soil auger, digger, a wooden plank and core samplers. Particles size analysis has shown that the percentage of clay varies from the range of 22.12% to 5.4% as observed in Raje and Butalawa respectively. The texture in most of the sectors was dominated by sandy loam. The organic matter (OM) content is typical of agricultural topsoil as all the sectors have organic matter within the range of 1–6%. Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.452 indicates that the relationship between % clay and Bulk density was more of a non-linear relationship than linear. The Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.876 between % clay content of the soil in all the sectors and saturated hydraulic conductivity represents a strong negative relationship between the variables, as % clay content increases, the strength of Sat. hydraulic conductivity tends to decrease. The % clay has no relationship with location of sectors based on the correlation analysis. The Pearson and Spearman coefficients between % Clay content and % OM were 0.407 and 0.473 respectively and this represent a positive relationship between the variables. It was recommended that organic matter content, saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density can be used as one of the determinant variables in the development of a model aimed at predicting the % clay of soils in KRIP. Application of organic manure and fertilizer to improve soil productivity and buffering capacity was also recommended due to low organic matter content.&nbsp

Environmental pollution mitigation measure involving bioremediation technology is a sustainable intervention for a greener ecosystem biorecovery, especially the obnoxious hydrocarbons, xenobiotics, and other environmental pollutants induced by anthropogenic stressors. Several successful case studies have provided evidence to this paradigm including the putative adoption that the technology is eco-friendly, cost-effective, and shows a high tendency for total contaminants mineralization into innocuous bye-products. The present review reports advances in bioremediation, types, and strategies conventionally adopted in contaminant clean-up. It identified that natural attenuation and biostimulation are faced with notable limitations including the poor remedial outcome under the natural attenuation system and the residual contamination occasion following a biostimulation operation. It remarks that the use of genetically engineered microorganisms shows a potentially promising insight as a prudent remedial approach but is currently challenged by few ethical restrictions and the rural unavailability of the technology. It underscores that bioaugmentation, particularly the use of high cell density assemblages referred to as microbial consortia possess promising remedial prospects thus offers a more sustainable environmental security. The authors, therefore, recommend bioaugmentation for large scale contaminated sites in regions where environmental degradation is commonplace.

We have characterized the pre-TCR/CD3 complex and the clonotype-independent CD3 (CIC) complex expressed on the cell surface of the immature cell line KKF which we previously identified as the cell line expressing only TCR beta-chain associated with the CD3 complex on the cell surface. We now show that KKF expresses the pT alpha-beta heterodimer-CD3 complex and also the CIC complex on the cell surface by surface biotinylation. In addition, not only the CIC complex but also the pT alpha-beta complex was found to be associated with the molecular chaperon calnexin. Whereas the CD3 zeta-chain was very weakly associated with the pre-TCR/CD3 complex, a 12-kDa molecule (designated pTAC12 as pre-TCR-associated chain) was more stably associated as a dimer with the pre-TCR complex as well as the CIC complex on KKF cells. The significance of pTAC12 dimer in the CD3 complex of immature thymocytes in vivo was demonstrated by coprecipitation of pTAC12 with the CD3 complex in thymocytes from SCID mice. These results show that pTAC12 is a component of the pT alpha-beta complex as well as the CIC complex, and they suggest that pTAC12 may play a role in signaling through and/or in the expression of the pre-TCR/CD3 complex.

Introduction: Alterations of serum lipid profiles have been reported widely among Human Immuno deficiency Virus (HIV) positive patients on Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy (HAART). However, there are few data on serum lipid profile among treatment naïve HIV positive patients in our environment. Objectives: To describe the pattern of lipid profile among treatment naïve HIV positive patients and changes following HAART initiation. Methods: One hundred and thirty HIV positive patients seen in HIV center in an urban area in Nigeria and 44 matched individuals were recruited. Data were collected on socio demographic characters, baseline lipid profiles and CD4 count. Values of lipid parameters were retrieved after 12 months on HAART. Results: The mean Low density lipoprotein(LDL) was 2.26+ 0.9 mmol/l among the test group compared with 0.96+0.39mmol/L among the control ,p value =0.000 .The mean High density lipoprotein (HDL) was also significantly lower,0.8+ 0.6mmol/L reaching a dyslipidemic level, in the HIV positive group than the control, p value = 0.00. Tuberculosis /HIV co infected patients had a significantly elevated mean LDL, p=0.002. Conclusion: Abnormality of serum lipid is common among treatment naïve HIV patients seen in Nigeria. The NNRTI regimen is associated with elevation of HDL and some stabilization of TC and TG.Key words: lipid profile HIV

Background: The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority is considering limiting the number of embryos that can be transferred to single embryo per cycle as has been done in several European countries, with the aim of reducing the rate of multiple pregnancies and its attendant complications following in vitro fertilization (IVF) / Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Objective: To determine the number of embryos patients' attending a fertility clinic in Nigeria, would prefer transferred during IVF/ICSI. Materials and Methods: Fifty four consecutive female patients who underwent IVF/ICSI procedures between May 2006 and April 2007 at the Port Harcourt Fertility Centre, Rivers State were interviewed using structured questionnaires. They were informed of all the obstetric and perinatal complications of multiple pregnancies and the advantages and trend towards single embryo transfer and then asked to choose the number of embryos (one, two or three) they would prefer transferred assuming similar implantation rates. Each respondent was allowed to give reason(s) for their choice. Design: Prospective, descriptive study. Results: Fifty one (94.4%) of the respondents preferred the transfer of multiple (2 or 3) embryos. Only three (5.6%) patients opted for single embryo transfer. Majority of the patients (31 or 60.8%) preferred multiple embryo transfer because of their desire for twins while twenty (39.2%) cited cost of IVF as their reason. Fifteen (29.4%) patients saw multiple pregnancies as a compensation for their long periods of infertility. Conclusion: With the desire for twins and high poverty level in Nigeria, a policy of single embryo transfer might be difficult to implement. Health economic studies would be required to determine if the accumulative cost of taking care of twins/triplets is less, equal or outweighs the cost of several single embryo transfers.Key Words: Single, multiple, embryo transfer, IVF/ICSI