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Biomarkers of Female Infertility: Exposure, Effect and Chemical Modification of Biomolecules

Female infertility is a health condition that affects the ability of woman to conceive over a period of continuous sexual intercourse. This condition has led to psychological and social anguish, anxiety, and depression resulting from hormonal impairment, disease infection, oxidative stress, xenobiotics, environmental pollutants, and other factors. Need to say, extensive studies on the biomarkers for female infertility are still in the developmental stage in reproductive medicine to unravel remedies based on improved technologies.

Development of Congenic Mutants and Genetic Analysis of Virulence in Cryptococcus Neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans strains were isolated from clinical source taken from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and environmental source taken from New Benin Market. Two strains were selected; clinical isolate 4832 and environmental isolate NBM5. They were determined to be of two different mating types, due to differences in their susceptibility to the antifungal agent fluconazole. In order to check the involvement of mating type locus in the virulence of C. neoformans, congenic mutants were developed.

Bioconcentration and Translocation Factors of Heavy Metals in Rhizophora racemosa and Sediments from Egbokodo Mangrove Swamp, Delta State, Nigeria

The mangrove ecosystem is well known to be impacted by anthropogenic activities such as oil spillage, agricultural run-off, industrial effluents, and mining in coastal areas. These activities increase heavy metals accumulated by mangroves, which are eventually released back into the environment via decomposition. This study aimed to analyze the concentration of heavy metals including cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu) in the roots and leaves of Rhizophora racemosa and mangrove sediments obtained from Egbokodo mangrove swamp in Delta State, Nigeria.

Detection of icaD and MecA Genes and Antibiogram Profiling of Ear Swab Borne Staphylococcus aureus Isolates

Bacteriological analysis of fifty (50) ear swabs, collected from fifty (50) consenting male undergraduate students was conducted using routine procedures which included pour plating. Thirty one (31) Staphylococcus aureus were tentatively identified and subjected to biofilm production test and antibiotic susceptibility assay using Congo red agar and disc diffusion procedure. The presence of icaD and MecA genes students in the respective bacterial strains was ascertained using polymerase chain reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis.

Occurrence and Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Soil of Udu, Near Warri, Delta State

The occurrence and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were assessed in urban soils of Udu, near Warri in Delta State, Nigeria. The PAHs were quantified with gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) after extraction and clean-up of the extracts with n-hexane/dichloromethane. The concentrations of ∑16 PAHs in the urban soils ranged from 269 µg kg-1 to 853 µg kg-1

Heavy Metal Content and Health Risk Assessment of Jams Consumed in Nigeria

The content and risk of nine heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn and Fe) were quantified and assessed in jams consumed in Nigeria. The heavy metal contents were quantified using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) after digesting jam samples with mixture of acids. The quantified content (mg/kg) of the heavy metals in the jams ranged from <0.03 for Cd, < 0.25 for Pb, 0.05-1.55 for Ni, < 0.25-0.50 for Cr, 0.75-7.75 for Cu, <0.25-0.50 for Co, <0.25- 13.3 for Mn, <2.00-14.0 for Zn and 13.1-30.8 for Fe.

Antagonistic Activity of Mycoflora Associated with Cassava Whey Obtained from Cassava Mills in Benin City, Nigeria

 Whey (cassava wastewater) is an industrial residue obtained from the processing of cassava into various fermented products such as garri, fufu and lafun. Cassava whey mycoflora and their antagonistic activity against Escherichia coli were determined in this report. The associated fungi were enumerated and isolated by standard microbiological methods. The pH value of cassava whey samples was determined using an electrode pH meter while titratable acidity was by acid-base titration. Antagonistic effects of the fungal isolates against previously identified diarrheagenic E.

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Microbiological and Physicochemical Analyses of Pharmaceutical Raw Materials Used in Some Pharmaceutical Products

This study was carried out to investigate the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of  pharmaceutical raw materials used in some non-sterile preparations. A total of 16samples of pharmaceutical raw materials and 3 formulated non sterile preparations were subjected to microbial limit test, isolation and characterization of microbial  contaminants and physicochemical analysis.

Effects of Flood on the Growth and Some Aspects of Physiology of Five Genotypes of Cassava (Manihot esculentus)

The effects of flood on five genotypes of Cassava (Manihot esculenta), TMEB419, 011371, I98058I, I30574 and 91934 was investigated for a period of twenty (21) days. The plants were subjected to flooding two months after establishment. Results revealed that there are three homogenous groups for chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B. It was observed that the effect of flooding on chlorophyll content of the various genotypes is dependent on time. The longer the duration of flooding the less quantity of chlorophyll in the plant.

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