The physical examination of the fruit of soursop fruit (Annona muricata) selected from different parent trees was investigated. Three-stage modified Soxhlet method was used which includes a percolator (boiler and refl...The physical examination of the fruit of soursop fruit (Annona muricata) selected from different parent trees was investigated. Three-stage modified Soxhlet method was used which includes a percolator (boiler and reflux) which circulates the solvent, a thimble (usually made of thick filter paper) which retains the seed to be extracted, and a siphon mechanism, which periodically empties the condensed solvent from the thimble back into the percolator. The extraction of oil from the seed and the percentage yield was examined. The oil samples were characterized for physico-chemical properties. The maximum values of physical parameters found were fruit weight 3.7 ± 7.09, fruit length 12.2 ± 28.3 cm, with 15.2 ± 20.81 cm and 0.12 ± 18.91 g for pulp weight. The percentage oil yield of 48.5% was obtained due to the environmental factors such as the soil type, planting season and optimal temperature of the region of seed cultivation. The result of chemical properties showed maximum acid value 0.46 mg KOH, FFA of 0.33 mg, saponification of 189.4 mg KOH mg and peroxide value of 4.33 mg/g. The oil physical properties as discovered have a melting point of 32˚C, smoke point of 198˚C and flash point of 280˚C. The results obtained in this study further reveal the potential of oil from seed of soursop as a substitute for conventional vegetable oil due to its high flash point which is an indication of its low flammability and can be used as a good source of food, industrially can be used as an anti-microbial agent and for pest control.展开更多
Interferon-stimulated gene 15(ISG15)and its associated post-translational modification,ISGylation,have evolved from being a mere antiviral effector to a central regulator of diverse cellular processes[1].Beyond its ca...Interferon-stimulated gene 15(ISG15)and its associated post-translational modification,ISGylation,have evolved from being a mere antiviral effector to a central regulator of diverse cellular processes[1].Beyond its canonical role in immune responses,ISGylation—the covalent attachment of ISG15 to substrates—modulates lysosomal function,autophagy,and redox balance.Recent studies reveal its unexpected involvement in copper metabolism,a pathway critical for both cellular homeostasis and pathogen defense.Copper,while essential as a cofactor for enzymes like cytochrome C oxidase and superoxide dismutase(SOD1),and involved in numerous biological processes,is toxic when excess,triggering cuproptosis—a copper-dependent mitochondrial cell death[2,3].Understanding the interplay between ISG15/ISGylation and copper-related pathways can provide insights into fundamental processes of life.展开更多
Forbush decreases(FDs),defined as abrupt and transient reductions in cosmic ray(CR)flux intensity,are fundamental probes for understanding the complex interplay between solar activity and terrestrial weather systems.W...Forbush decreases(FDs),defined as abrupt and transient reductions in cosmic ray(CR)flux intensity,are fundamental probes for understanding the complex interplay between solar activity and terrestrial weather systems.While previous studies have predominantly focused on events with absolute sizes>3%,small-size events(amplitude.3%)and their potential connections to Sun-Earth interactions remain significantly understudied.This research gap arises due to the challenges associated with precise timing and accurate characterization of small-scale events,compounded by the complexities of analyzing other transient astrophysical phenomena.In this study,we employed a state-of-the-art,highly sensitive FD event selection algorithm on daily-averaged CR data spanning 1998–2006 to create catalogs of small-amplitude FDs from nine neutron monitors(NMs)located at low(0–100 m),mid(101–1000 m)and high(>1000 m)altitudes.From the data set,we identified 1956 small-amplitude FDs composed of 766,601,and 589 events across low,mid,and high-altitude NMs,respectively.Among these FDs,80,38,and 19 events were observed to occur simultaneously across the respective altitude ranges.Our analysis shows that the correlation coefficient for small-amplitude FDs and the solar-geomagnetic indices varies appreciably across the three altitude ranges and among the individual NM stations.The same solar/terrestrial variable that indicates a statistically significant correlation with small FDs at some altitude ranges/stations registered marginal or even non-significant relations at other altitudes/stations.These results are indications that small FDs are location-dependent CR phenomena.The results may provide valuable insights into how solar-terrestrial interactions affect CR flux variations across different NM stations and atmospheric levels.This understanding helps improve space weather models and enhances knowledge of CR modulation processes.展开更多
The glitch size,△ν/ν, inter-glitch time interval, ti, and frequency of glitches in pulsars are key parameters in discussing glitch phenomena. In this paper, the glitch sizes and inter-glitch time intervals are stat...The glitch size,△ν/ν, inter-glitch time interval, ti, and frequency of glitches in pulsars are key parameters in discussing glitch phenomena. In this paper, the glitch sizes and inter-glitch time intervals are statistically analyzed in a sample of 168 pulsars with a total of 483 glitches. The glitches are broadly divided into two groups. Those with △ν/ν< 10^-7 are regarded as small size glitches, while those with△ν/ν≥ 10^-7 are considered as relatively large size glitches. In the ensemble of glitches, the distribution of△ν/ν is seen to be bimodal as usual. The distribution of inter-glitch time intervals is unimodal and the interglitch time intervals between small and large size glitches are not significantly different from each other.This observation shows that inter-glitch time intervals are size independent. In addition, the distribution of the ratio △ν/ν: tiin both small and large size glitches has the same pattern. This observation suggests that a parameter which depends on time, which could be the spin-down rate of a pulsar, plays a similar role in the processes that regulate both small and large size glitches. Equally, this could be an indication that a single physical mechanism, which could produce varying glitch sizes at similar time-intervals, could be responsible for both classes of glitch sizes.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the antioxidant efficacy of oral orientin on 900 MHz radiofrequencyelectromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in mice.Methods: The mice were randomly allotted into 5 groups consisting...Objective: To investigate the antioxidant efficacy of oral orientin on 900 MHz radiofrequencyelectromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in mice.Methods: The mice were randomly allotted into 5 groups consisting of 7 mice each. The deionised water and radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations(RF-EMR) groups were administered with deionised water while orientin was administered to the RF-EMR + low dose of orientin group(10 mg/kg), RF-EMR + high dose of orientin group(20 mg/kg) and high dose of orientin group(20 mg/kg). All the groups except deionised water and high dose groups were exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation for 28 consecutive days(1 h/day). Learning and memory was assessed via the step-down inhibitory avoidance task. Activities of lipid prexidation and antioxidant enzymes were measured using kits.Results: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation caused impairment in learning and memory and reduced activities of brain antioxidant enzymes, increased lipoperoxidation and corticosterone concentration as well as histopathological aberrations in the hippocampal tissues. Conversely, orientin alleviated learning and memory deficit, improved the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and mitigated brain lipoperoxidation and neuronal degeneration in mice exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. Conclusions: Orientin alleviates learning and memory impairment due to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in mice by improving antioxidant defence mechanism and may be considered as a promising therapeutic agent for improving the antioxidant system of people living in radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation-prone environment.展开更多
This study is aimed at determining the level of environmental degradation as well as the concentration of trace elements in soil and stream sediments in order to evaluate the environmental impact of the mining operati...This study is aimed at determining the level of environmental degradation as well as the concentration of trace elements in soil and stream sediments in order to evaluate the environmental impact of the mining operation.Twenty-five(25) soils and ten(10) stream sediment samples were collected from the study area. The physicochemical parameters were determined using appropriate instrumentation with the aid of a digital p H meter(Milwaukee meter) to measure the p H and electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, moisture content and loss on ignition of the soil and stream sediment samples. The p H of the soil sample ranged from(6.10 to 7.19); Electrical conductivity ranged from(21.3 to 279.4 μS/cm), moisture content varied from(0.60% to 7.20%), and the LOI ranged from(2.03% to 18.62%). The results of the analysis showed that the concentrations of the trace elements in the soils and stream sediment samples were slightly higher than the background values. Plots of the trace elements in stream sediment samples show moderate, consistent decrease downstream except at points where there was mine water discharge into the main river. The pollution levels of heavy metals were examined in stream sediment and soil samples using different assessable indices, such as the enrichment factor, which showed significant-moderate enrichment for Cr, Th, Nb, Zn, Pb, Y and Zr and the geoaccumulation index, which showed practically moderate contamination with Cr, Ni and Sr based on regional background reference values. Geo-accumulation index and contamination index for soils and stream sediment revealed uncontaminated to moderate contamination. Likewise,elements with moderate contamination were Cr, Ni and Sr.The Pearson correlation showed that there were significant positive associations among selected metals in soil and stream sediment samples.展开更多
This work aims at analyzing the bioactive and anti-nutritional compounds of edible and wild beans when unprocessed and malted. Qualitative screening of phytochemicals in the various bean samples was determined in etha...This work aims at analyzing the bioactive and anti-nutritional compounds of edible and wild beans when unprocessed and malted. Qualitative screening of phytochemicals in the various bean samples was determined in ethanol and petroleum ether solvents. Results of the anti-nutritional compositions of unprocessed wild bean extracted with petroleum ether showed there were no traces of saponin and polyphenol, in Feregede and also in edible bean-IT07K-243-1-10 which also had no traces of saponin and tannin. After malting, saponin was totally absent in Pakala, Mucuna, IT97k-499-35, IT07k-243-1-10, and IT04k-333-2 respectively. Polyphenol was also found to be absent in IT07k-243-1-10. Mucuna has the highest phytic acid level (7.8867 ± 0.011) while Feregede has the lowest phytic acid level (2.9810 ± 0.004). Otili has the highest anti-trypsin level (12.001 ± 0.0013). This study showed varying levels of anti-nutrients on the respective bean samples when unprocessed but decreased marginally after malting. It was keenly noted that values derived, either before and after malting were not significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) from each other. In all, this study had further shown that malting process enhanced removal of anti-nutrients which invariably would lead to availability of nutrient for animal and human consumption.展开更多
Pawpaw and lime juices were blended to produce mixed pawpaw/lime juice samples in the ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50) v/v giving samples A, B, C, D and E respectively. The moisture, mineral and vitamin...Pawpaw and lime juices were blended to produce mixed pawpaw/lime juice samples in the ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50) v/v giving samples A, B, C, D and E respectively. The moisture, mineral and vitamin contents, as well as the physical, microbiological and sensory qualities of the individual juices and blended samples were evaluated. While lime juice had higher moisture, calcium and vitamin C with values of 97.90%, 2.21 mg/100 g and 67.47 mg/100 g as compared to pawpaw juice with 92.96%, 1.53 mg/100 g and 35.49 mg/100 g respectively;the pawpaw juice had higher ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents, with values of 3.12%, 54.97 mg/100 g and 5.90 IU/100 g as against 2.84%, 29.53% and 0.16% for lime juice respectively. While there was a general increase in moisture, calcium and vitamin C contents with blending, ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents increased with increase in lime. The total solids content and specific gravity of pawpaw juice were remarkably higher at 7.04% and 1.15 g/m3 compared to 2.09% and 1.09 g/m3 respectively for lime juice. However, lime juice had a higher titratable acidity, while recording a lower pH of 2.89 as compared to 5.36 for pawpaw juice. The Total Viable Count (TVC) of lime juice was much lower (2.33 × 105 CFU/ml) than that of pawpaw juice (5.33 × 106 CFU/ml). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the sensory parameters evaluated. Generally, there was an increase in the scores of each parameter from sample A to B and then a decline through to sample E. Sample B (80:20) mixed pawpaw/lime juice was most preferred, while sample E (50:50) was least preferred.展开更多
In this paper, a deterministic mathematical model for Chikungunya virus (Chikv) transmission and control is developed and analyzed to underscore the effect of vaccinating a proportion of the susceptible human, and ver...In this paper, a deterministic mathematical model for Chikungunya virus (Chikv) transmission and control is developed and analyzed to underscore the effect of vaccinating a proportion of the susceptible human, and vertical transmission in mosquito population. The disease free, and endemic equilibrium states were obtained and the conditions for the local and global stability or otherwise were given. Sensitivity analysis of the effective reproductive number,?Rc?(the number of secondary infections resulting from the introduction of a single infected individual into a population where a proportion is fairly protected) shows that the recruitment rate of susceptible mosquito (ΛM) and the proportion of infectious new births from infected mosquito (β)?are the most sensitive parameters. Bifurcation analysis of the model using center manifold theory reveals that the model undergoes backward bifurcation (coexistence of disease free and endemic equilibrium when Rc?< 1 ). Numerical simulation of the model shows that vaccination of susceptible human population with imperfect vaccine will have a positive impact and that vertical transmission in mosquito population has a negligible effect. To the best of our knowledge, our model is the first to incorporate vaccinated human compartment and vertical transmission in (Chikv) model.展开更多
Lectin purified from wild underutilized local bean—Otili, Feregede, Pakalai was comparatively characterized and further evaluated for interaction with gastrointestinal bacteria—Esherichia coli and Staphylococcus aur...Lectin purified from wild underutilized local bean—Otili, Feregede, Pakalai was comparatively characterized and further evaluated for interaction with gastrointestinal bacteria—Esherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The purified lectin in all the bean samples showed to be glucose and sucrose binding. The hemagglutinating activity, was non selective to type of blood group (A, B, AB and O). Anti-bacteria interaction with Escherichia coli showed clear zone of inhibition of about 1.5 ± 0.5 mm with lectin from Feregede and Otili while there was slight agglutination with lectin from Pakala. Staphylococcus aureus sensitivity to the lectin extracted from Otili with clear zone of inhibition of 2.0 ± 0.5 mm was also found in the control chloramphenicol. However there was pronounced agglutination with lectin from Feregede and Pakala with Staphylococcus auereus. This may be a clear indication that lectin from local underutilized wild bean understudy will agglutinate and interact with a gram positive bacteria more than gram negative bacteria.展开更多
Azadirachta indica, Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citratus and Annona squamosa were screened and evaluated for their phytochemical composition and larvicidal effects on Anopheles gambiense and Culex quinquefasciatus. Th...Azadirachta indica, Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citratus and Annona squamosa were screened and evaluated for their phytochemical composition and larvicidal effects on Anopheles gambiense and Culex quinquefasciatus. The bioassay results showed that the effects were dependent on time and concentration of extract used. Cymbopogon citratus and Citrus sinesis at 20 mg/ml had the highest mortality effect on Anopheles gambiense after 72 h. Citrus sinensis was more effective against Culex quinquefasciatus. Aqueous extracts of these plants were found to have less larvicidal effect against the mosquito vectors. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of flavonoids in all herbs. Alkaloids were present in Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citratus and Annona squamosa while Citrus sinesis and Azadirachta indica were positive for tannins.展开更多
Thin films of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) having different concentrations were deposited using the Aqueous Chemical Growth (ACG) method. The films were characterized using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) spectroscopy for chemic...Thin films of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) having different concentrations were deposited using the Aqueous Chemical Growth (ACG) method. The films were characterized using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) spectroscopy for chemical composition and thickness, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for crystallographic structure, a UV-VIS spectrophotometer for the analysis of the optical and solid state properties which include spectral absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, refractive index, direct band gap, real and imaginary dielectric constants, absorption and extinction coefficients and a photomicroscope for photomicrographs. The average deposited film thickness was 100 nm. The results indicate that the values of all the optical and solid state properties investigated vary directly with concentration except transmittance which is the reverse. Thus, the optical and solid state properties of ZnO thin film deposited by the Acqueous Chemical Growth method can be tuned by deliberately controlling the concentration of the precursors for various optoelectronic applications including its application as absorber layer in solar cells.展开更多
Clays are among the most essential industrial minerals due to their unique physicochemical properties and versatile usage. This paper used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software to characterize five c...Clays are among the most essential industrial minerals due to their unique physicochemical properties and versatile usage. This paper used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software to characterize five clay deposits for their physical and chemical compositions. The package, was employed to carry out the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) by Post-Hoctambane multiple comparisons and Kristal Wallis at 5% confidence level for the f- and t-tests respectively. The analysis of variance of the chemical components of the samples by post-hoc (f8, 36 = 52.40, p 8, 37.38 and p 2 and Al2O3. Pearson bivariate correlation statistical tool was also used to establish if significant positive interrelationships exist between the parameters in each site of the clay samples at (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). The result of the correlation indicates a very significant, strong and positive coefficient p-values above 0.900 between the chemical and physicalproperties. Pearson bivariate correlation coefficient between the chemical and physical parameters of the clay samples indicates very significant, strong and positive correlations with p-values above 0.900 at (p < 0.01 and <0.05). The overall physicochemical results indicate that most of the clay samples will meet the requirements for some industrial applications with minimal processing.展开更多
In this paper, the authors extracted and investigated the effect of relative humidity (RH) on some microphysical and optical properties of continental polluted aerosols from OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Cl...In this paper, the authors extracted and investigated the effect of relative humidity (RH) on some microphysical and optical properties of continental polluted aerosols from OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds) at the spectral range of 0.25 μm to 2.5 μm and eight relative humidities (0%, 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98%, and 99%). The microphysical properties extracted were radii, volume, number and mass mix ratios as functions of RH while the optical properties were optical depth, extinction, scattering and absorption coefficients single scattering albedo, refractive indices and asymmetric parameters also at eight RHs. Using the microphysical properties, effective hygroscopic growth factors and effective radii of the mixtures were determined while using optical properties we determined the enhancement parameters, effective refractive indices and angstrom coefficients. Using the effective hygroscopic growth, we determined the dependence of the effective hygroscopicity parameter as a function of RH, while using enhancement parameters;we determined the effect of humidification factor on RH and wavelengths. The effective hygroscopic growth and enhancement parameters were then parameterized using some models to determine the effective hygroscopicity parameter, bulk hygroscopicity and humidification factors. We observed that the data fitted the models very well. The effective radii decrease with the increase in RH while the effective hygroscopic growth increases with the increase in RH, and this is in line with the increase in angstrom parameters, and this shows increase in mode size with the increase in RH. The angstrom coefficients show that the mixture has a bimodal type of distribution with the dominance of fine mode particles.展开更多
Thin films of hematite (α-Fe2O3) were deposited by heteronucleation through the process of hydrolysis and condensation of an aqueous solution of 0.1 M Fe (NO3)3.9H2O, 1 M NaNO3, 50 ml H2O in addition with five drops ...Thin films of hematite (α-Fe2O3) were deposited by heteronucleation through the process of hydrolysis and condensation of an aqueous solution of 0.1 M Fe (NO3)3.9H2O, 1 M NaNO3, 50 ml H2O in addition with five drops of HCl at 90℃. One of the samples was kept as prepared while the others were annealed at different temperatures in order to determine the effect of annealing on their solid state and optical properties. The films were characterized using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS), spectroscopy for chemical composition and thickness, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer for the analysis of other solid state and optical properties and a photomicroscope for photomicrographs. The results indicate that while the absorbance and absorption coefficient decreases with increasing annealing temperature, the direct band gap and refractive index increases with increasing annealing temperature in the direction of increasing photon energy in the visible range. Also, there is a high infrared transmittance which increases with increasing annealing temperature and a shift/decrease in peak value of all the optical properties except transmittance in the direction of increasing photon energy as annealing temperature increases. The results further indicate that ACG hematite thin film annealed at 632K is a suitable metal oxide semiconductor material for photocatalytic applications. It is also suitable for use in the construction of poultry houses for the rearing of chicks because of its high infrared transmittance including other opto-electronic applications.展开更多
Objective:To investigated the prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis(HAT),a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiens in an endemic focus of Nigeria,as it relates to age,sex and occupationa...Objective:To investigated the prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis(HAT),a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiens in an endemic focus of Nigeria,as it relates to age,sex and occupational differences.Methods:A total of 474 human subjects were screened using card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis kit.Positive samples were further investigated for parasite positivity in blood/serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF).Results:Of the 474 screened,44(9.3%) were seropositive with seroprevalence of 22(9.6%) in Urhouka,14(9.5%) in Umeghe and 8(7.9%) for Ugonu.The number of seropositives,observed for weakly,moderately and strongly positives for the three communities were 4,7 and 11 in Urhouka,4,5 and 5 in Umeghe and 3,2 and 3 in Ugonu respectively.Among the 16 volunteers with detected parasite in their blood,4 of them were weakly positive,5 of them were moderately positive and 7 of them strongly positive.4 volunteers from Urhouka community were found parasites in their CSF and they were all strongly positive.The difference between the seroprevalence of males and females was not statistically significant(OR=1.14,95%CI=0.37-3.4,P】0.05).The prevalence difference between age group 21-30 years old and the youngest and oldest age groups was statistically significant(OR=3.5,95%CI= 1.08-12.57,P【0.05) but not significant for other age categories (P】0.05),It was observed that farmers had significantly higher prevalence of HAT infection as well as greater risk of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection than inhabitants with other occupations (OR=3.25,95%CI=0.99-11.79,P【0.05).Conclusions:Human activities such as farming and visits to the river have been identified as major risk factors to HAT.Also the breakdown of HAT control program has been advanced for the rise in HAT in Abraka,an endemic focus in Nigeria.展开更多
Wound repair is noticeably prolonged in a diabetic state due to a faulty inflammatory process and an underlying neuropathy.Several medicinal plants and their products have been of prime importance for the management o...Wound repair is noticeably prolonged in a diabetic state due to a faulty inflammatory process and an underlying neuropathy.Several medicinal plants and their products have been of prime importance for the management of wounds over the years.Various mechanisms whereby medicinal plants elicit their action in wound repair are revealed and some plants are proven to be experimentally effective in enhancing wound closure and achieving healing.The mechanisms identified include hyperglycemic control,alleviation of physiological inflammation,controlled oxidative stress,infection control,and influence on gene expression.Information in this review was sourced from research and review articles in electronic databases such as Web of Science,Scopus,PubMed,and Google Scholar.展开更多
The adsorption capacity of steam activated carbon prepared from Delonix regia pods SADRC for adsorption of Aniline Blue (AB) from aqueous solution was investigated under various experimental conditions. Batch study wa...The adsorption capacity of steam activated carbon prepared from Delonix regia pods SADRC for adsorption of Aniline Blue (AB) from aqueous solution was investigated under various experimental conditions. Batch study was conducted to assess the potential of the activated carbon for the removal of Aniline Blue from aqueous solution. Activated carbon prepared from Delonix regia pods was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrophotometry before and after adsorption. The FTIR, spectra of SADRC pod before and after Aniline Blue adsorption were compared to study the impact of the Aniline Blue on the activated carbon developed from the Delonix regia pod. The stretching vibration band at 2169.54 cm-1 may be due to strong CN, while the stretching vibration band at around 1580 - 1650 cm-1 may be due to C=C stretching vibration. The bands around 1350 and 426.49 cm-1 are due to C-N and –SO3H group, respectively;this further suggests that some functional groups may be present on the surface of the carbon due to the low temperature of carbonization (300°C) of the adsorbent. Equilibrium isotherm studies were carried out by varying the following four parameters: initial concentration of Aniline Blue dye solution, solution pH and adsorbent dose. The equilibrium data obtained were more fitted to Langmuir than Freundlich isotherm models. The correlation coefficient value (R2) of the pseudo first order kinetics ranged from 0.08 to 0.85 while the R2 of the pseudo second order kinetics ranged from 0.963 to 0.997 at all the temperatures and initial concentrations considered. This suggests that the adsorption kinetics of Aniline Blue onto SADRC can be represented with pseudo second order kinetic model. This study showed that Delonix regia pod could be effectively used as an adsorbent for the removal of Aniline Blue from aqueous solutions over a wide range of concentration and temperature.展开更多
This research aimed at the use of natural products to extend the shelf life of perishable vegetables. Studies were conducted on the preservative effects of four plant extracts--Xylopia aethiopica, Piper nigrum, Tetrap...This research aimed at the use of natural products to extend the shelf life of perishable vegetables. Studies were conducted on the preservative effects of four plant extracts--Xylopia aethiopica, Piper nigrum, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Carica papaya seeds on tomato and pepper. Tomato and pepper were dipped into four different concentrations of aqueous extracts of the four plants as well as water serving as control. The result of the study showed that aqueous extract of all plants extended the shelf life of tomato and pepper with increasing concentration of the extracts, except for Carica papaya seeds which produced significant elongation of 12.0 ±0.6 d and 14.0 ± 0.7 d on tomato and pepper, respectively, at the least concentration of 0.25 mg/mL. The results showed that these ethnomedicinal plants can serve as good and potent sources of natural preservatives which can be used to substitute existing synthetics used in the food industry.展开更多
Balanites aegyptiaca has multiplicity of uses and almost every part of the plant is useful including its flowers, leaves, bark, root and fruit. In this study, oil from Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) kernel seed wa...Balanites aegyptiaca has multiplicity of uses and almost every part of the plant is useful including its flowers, leaves, bark, root and fruit. In this study, oil from Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) kernel seed was extracted, analyzed and used in the formulation of soap and lotion. The physical parameters determined were oil content, specific gravity, refractive index and moisture content. These were found to be 45.32% ± 0.0026%, 0.90 ± 0.03, 1.45% and 0.114% ± 0.04%, respectively. The chemical parameters evaluated include saponification value (200.02 ± 0.12 mg KOH/g), acid value (2.14 ± 0.28 mg KOH/g), iodine value (104.39 ± 0.00 100/g), peroxide value (2.95 ± 0.00 mEq/kg) and free fatty acid (0.82% ± 0.01%). The oil quality assessments test indicates %FFA content of 0.84% and the fatty acids composition of the oil was evaluated using GC-MS as FAME;the oil contains about 47.52% unsaturated fatty acids. The seed kernel of Balanites aegyptiaca is a good source of vegetable oil. Soap formulated from the oil is considered a good soap based on the soap quality parameters determined. Lotion formulated has a good stability when subjected to lotion stability test.展开更多
文摘The physical examination of the fruit of soursop fruit (Annona muricata) selected from different parent trees was investigated. Three-stage modified Soxhlet method was used which includes a percolator (boiler and reflux) which circulates the solvent, a thimble (usually made of thick filter paper) which retains the seed to be extracted, and a siphon mechanism, which periodically empties the condensed solvent from the thimble back into the percolator. The extraction of oil from the seed and the percentage yield was examined. The oil samples were characterized for physico-chemical properties. The maximum values of physical parameters found were fruit weight 3.7 ± 7.09, fruit length 12.2 ± 28.3 cm, with 15.2 ± 20.81 cm and 0.12 ± 18.91 g for pulp weight. The percentage oil yield of 48.5% was obtained due to the environmental factors such as the soil type, planting season and optimal temperature of the region of seed cultivation. The result of chemical properties showed maximum acid value 0.46 mg KOH, FFA of 0.33 mg, saponification of 189.4 mg KOH mg and peroxide value of 4.33 mg/g. The oil physical properties as discovered have a melting point of 32˚C, smoke point of 198˚C and flash point of 280˚C. The results obtained in this study further reveal the potential of oil from seed of soursop as a substitute for conventional vegetable oil due to its high flash point which is an indication of its low flammability and can be used as a good source of food, industrially can be used as an anti-microbial agent and for pest control.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(grant number 82211530059 to J.X.).
文摘Interferon-stimulated gene 15(ISG15)and its associated post-translational modification,ISGylation,have evolved from being a mere antiviral effector to a central regulator of diverse cellular processes[1].Beyond its canonical role in immune responses,ISGylation—the covalent attachment of ISG15 to substrates—modulates lysosomal function,autophagy,and redox balance.Recent studies reveal its unexpected involvement in copper metabolism,a pathway critical for both cellular homeostasis and pathogen defense.Copper,while essential as a cofactor for enzymes like cytochrome C oxidase and superoxide dismutase(SOD1),and involved in numerous biological processes,is toxic when excess,triggering cuproptosis—a copper-dependent mitochondrial cell death[2,3].Understanding the interplay between ISG15/ISGylation and copper-related pathways can provide insights into fundamental processes of life.
基金EUI acknowledges support from GRAO/GSSTI through the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy(DARA)project Phase 3 funded by the UK’s Science and Technologies Facilities Council(Reference number ST/Y006100/1).
文摘Forbush decreases(FDs),defined as abrupt and transient reductions in cosmic ray(CR)flux intensity,are fundamental probes for understanding the complex interplay between solar activity and terrestrial weather systems.While previous studies have predominantly focused on events with absolute sizes>3%,small-size events(amplitude.3%)and their potential connections to Sun-Earth interactions remain significantly understudied.This research gap arises due to the challenges associated with precise timing and accurate characterization of small-scale events,compounded by the complexities of analyzing other transient astrophysical phenomena.In this study,we employed a state-of-the-art,highly sensitive FD event selection algorithm on daily-averaged CR data spanning 1998–2006 to create catalogs of small-amplitude FDs from nine neutron monitors(NMs)located at low(0–100 m),mid(101–1000 m)and high(>1000 m)altitudes.From the data set,we identified 1956 small-amplitude FDs composed of 766,601,and 589 events across low,mid,and high-altitude NMs,respectively.Among these FDs,80,38,and 19 events were observed to occur simultaneously across the respective altitude ranges.Our analysis shows that the correlation coefficient for small-amplitude FDs and the solar-geomagnetic indices varies appreciably across the three altitude ranges and among the individual NM stations.The same solar/terrestrial variable that indicates a statistically significant correlation with small FDs at some altitude ranges/stations registered marginal or even non-significant relations at other altitudes/stations.These results are indications that small FDs are location-dependent CR phenomena.The results may provide valuable insights into how solar-terrestrial interactions affect CR flux variations across different NM stations and atmospheric levels.This understanding helps improve space weather models and enhances knowledge of CR modulation processes.
文摘The glitch size,△ν/ν, inter-glitch time interval, ti, and frequency of glitches in pulsars are key parameters in discussing glitch phenomena. In this paper, the glitch sizes and inter-glitch time intervals are statistically analyzed in a sample of 168 pulsars with a total of 483 glitches. The glitches are broadly divided into two groups. Those with △ν/ν< 10^-7 are regarded as small size glitches, while those with△ν/ν≥ 10^-7 are considered as relatively large size glitches. In the ensemble of glitches, the distribution of△ν/ν is seen to be bimodal as usual. The distribution of inter-glitch time intervals is unimodal and the interglitch time intervals between small and large size glitches are not significantly different from each other.This observation shows that inter-glitch time intervals are size independent. In addition, the distribution of the ratio △ν/ν: tiin both small and large size glitches has the same pattern. This observation suggests that a parameter which depends on time, which could be the spin-down rate of a pulsar, plays a similar role in the processes that regulate both small and large size glitches. Equally, this could be an indication that a single physical mechanism, which could produce varying glitch sizes at similar time-intervals, could be responsible for both classes of glitch sizes.
文摘Objective: To investigate the antioxidant efficacy of oral orientin on 900 MHz radiofrequencyelectromagnetic radiation-induced oxidative stress in mice.Methods: The mice were randomly allotted into 5 groups consisting of 7 mice each. The deionised water and radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations(RF-EMR) groups were administered with deionised water while orientin was administered to the RF-EMR + low dose of orientin group(10 mg/kg), RF-EMR + high dose of orientin group(20 mg/kg) and high dose of orientin group(20 mg/kg). All the groups except deionised water and high dose groups were exposed to 900 MHz radiofrequency-electromagnetic radiation for 28 consecutive days(1 h/day). Learning and memory was assessed via the step-down inhibitory avoidance task. Activities of lipid prexidation and antioxidant enzymes were measured using kits.Results: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation caused impairment in learning and memory and reduced activities of brain antioxidant enzymes, increased lipoperoxidation and corticosterone concentration as well as histopathological aberrations in the hippocampal tissues. Conversely, orientin alleviated learning and memory deficit, improved the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and mitigated brain lipoperoxidation and neuronal degeneration in mice exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. Conclusions: Orientin alleviates learning and memory impairment due to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in mice by improving antioxidant defence mechanism and may be considered as a promising therapeutic agent for improving the antioxidant system of people living in radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation-prone environment.
基金the Chinese Academy of Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences for sponsoring this research through the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship program
文摘This study is aimed at determining the level of environmental degradation as well as the concentration of trace elements in soil and stream sediments in order to evaluate the environmental impact of the mining operation.Twenty-five(25) soils and ten(10) stream sediment samples were collected from the study area. The physicochemical parameters were determined using appropriate instrumentation with the aid of a digital p H meter(Milwaukee meter) to measure the p H and electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, moisture content and loss on ignition of the soil and stream sediment samples. The p H of the soil sample ranged from(6.10 to 7.19); Electrical conductivity ranged from(21.3 to 279.4 μS/cm), moisture content varied from(0.60% to 7.20%), and the LOI ranged from(2.03% to 18.62%). The results of the analysis showed that the concentrations of the trace elements in the soils and stream sediment samples were slightly higher than the background values. Plots of the trace elements in stream sediment samples show moderate, consistent decrease downstream except at points where there was mine water discharge into the main river. The pollution levels of heavy metals were examined in stream sediment and soil samples using different assessable indices, such as the enrichment factor, which showed significant-moderate enrichment for Cr, Th, Nb, Zn, Pb, Y and Zr and the geoaccumulation index, which showed practically moderate contamination with Cr, Ni and Sr based on regional background reference values. Geo-accumulation index and contamination index for soils and stream sediment revealed uncontaminated to moderate contamination. Likewise,elements with moderate contamination were Cr, Ni and Sr.The Pearson correlation showed that there were significant positive associations among selected metals in soil and stream sediment samples.
文摘This work aims at analyzing the bioactive and anti-nutritional compounds of edible and wild beans when unprocessed and malted. Qualitative screening of phytochemicals in the various bean samples was determined in ethanol and petroleum ether solvents. Results of the anti-nutritional compositions of unprocessed wild bean extracted with petroleum ether showed there were no traces of saponin and polyphenol, in Feregede and also in edible bean-IT07K-243-1-10 which also had no traces of saponin and tannin. After malting, saponin was totally absent in Pakala, Mucuna, IT97k-499-35, IT07k-243-1-10, and IT04k-333-2 respectively. Polyphenol was also found to be absent in IT07k-243-1-10. Mucuna has the highest phytic acid level (7.8867 ± 0.011) while Feregede has the lowest phytic acid level (2.9810 ± 0.004). Otili has the highest anti-trypsin level (12.001 ± 0.0013). This study showed varying levels of anti-nutrients on the respective bean samples when unprocessed but decreased marginally after malting. It was keenly noted that values derived, either before and after malting were not significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) from each other. In all, this study had further shown that malting process enhanced removal of anti-nutrients which invariably would lead to availability of nutrient for animal and human consumption.
文摘Pawpaw and lime juices were blended to produce mixed pawpaw/lime juice samples in the ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50) v/v giving samples A, B, C, D and E respectively. The moisture, mineral and vitamin contents, as well as the physical, microbiological and sensory qualities of the individual juices and blended samples were evaluated. While lime juice had higher moisture, calcium and vitamin C with values of 97.90%, 2.21 mg/100 g and 67.47 mg/100 g as compared to pawpaw juice with 92.96%, 1.53 mg/100 g and 35.49 mg/100 g respectively;the pawpaw juice had higher ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents, with values of 3.12%, 54.97 mg/100 g and 5.90 IU/100 g as against 2.84%, 29.53% and 0.16% for lime juice respectively. While there was a general increase in moisture, calcium and vitamin C contents with blending, ash, phosphorus and vitamin A contents increased with increase in lime. The total solids content and specific gravity of pawpaw juice were remarkably higher at 7.04% and 1.15 g/m3 compared to 2.09% and 1.09 g/m3 respectively for lime juice. However, lime juice had a higher titratable acidity, while recording a lower pH of 2.89 as compared to 5.36 for pawpaw juice. The Total Viable Count (TVC) of lime juice was much lower (2.33 × 105 CFU/ml) than that of pawpaw juice (5.33 × 106 CFU/ml). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in all the sensory parameters evaluated. Generally, there was an increase in the scores of each parameter from sample A to B and then a decline through to sample E. Sample B (80:20) mixed pawpaw/lime juice was most preferred, while sample E (50:50) was least preferred.
文摘In this paper, a deterministic mathematical model for Chikungunya virus (Chikv) transmission and control is developed and analyzed to underscore the effect of vaccinating a proportion of the susceptible human, and vertical transmission in mosquito population. The disease free, and endemic equilibrium states were obtained and the conditions for the local and global stability or otherwise were given. Sensitivity analysis of the effective reproductive number,?Rc?(the number of secondary infections resulting from the introduction of a single infected individual into a population where a proportion is fairly protected) shows that the recruitment rate of susceptible mosquito (ΛM) and the proportion of infectious new births from infected mosquito (β)?are the most sensitive parameters. Bifurcation analysis of the model using center manifold theory reveals that the model undergoes backward bifurcation (coexistence of disease free and endemic equilibrium when Rc?< 1 ). Numerical simulation of the model shows that vaccination of susceptible human population with imperfect vaccine will have a positive impact and that vertical transmission in mosquito population has a negligible effect. To the best of our knowledge, our model is the first to incorporate vaccinated human compartment and vertical transmission in (Chikv) model.
文摘Lectin purified from wild underutilized local bean—Otili, Feregede, Pakalai was comparatively characterized and further evaluated for interaction with gastrointestinal bacteria—Esherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The purified lectin in all the bean samples showed to be glucose and sucrose binding. The hemagglutinating activity, was non selective to type of blood group (A, B, AB and O). Anti-bacteria interaction with Escherichia coli showed clear zone of inhibition of about 1.5 ± 0.5 mm with lectin from Feregede and Otili while there was slight agglutination with lectin from Pakala. Staphylococcus aureus sensitivity to the lectin extracted from Otili with clear zone of inhibition of 2.0 ± 0.5 mm was also found in the control chloramphenicol. However there was pronounced agglutination with lectin from Feregede and Pakala with Staphylococcus auereus. This may be a clear indication that lectin from local underutilized wild bean understudy will agglutinate and interact with a gram positive bacteria more than gram negative bacteria.
文摘Azadirachta indica, Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citratus and Annona squamosa were screened and evaluated for their phytochemical composition and larvicidal effects on Anopheles gambiense and Culex quinquefasciatus. The bioassay results showed that the effects were dependent on time and concentration of extract used. Cymbopogon citratus and Citrus sinesis at 20 mg/ml had the highest mortality effect on Anopheles gambiense after 72 h. Citrus sinensis was more effective against Culex quinquefasciatus. Aqueous extracts of these plants were found to have less larvicidal effect against the mosquito vectors. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of flavonoids in all herbs. Alkaloids were present in Citrus sinensis, Cymbopogon citratus and Annona squamosa while Citrus sinesis and Azadirachta indica were positive for tannins.
文摘Thin films of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) having different concentrations were deposited using the Aqueous Chemical Growth (ACG) method. The films were characterized using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) spectroscopy for chemical composition and thickness, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for crystallographic structure, a UV-VIS spectrophotometer for the analysis of the optical and solid state properties which include spectral absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, refractive index, direct band gap, real and imaginary dielectric constants, absorption and extinction coefficients and a photomicroscope for photomicrographs. The average deposited film thickness was 100 nm. The results indicate that the values of all the optical and solid state properties investigated vary directly with concentration except transmittance which is the reverse. Thus, the optical and solid state properties of ZnO thin film deposited by the Acqueous Chemical Growth method can be tuned by deliberately controlling the concentration of the precursors for various optoelectronic applications including its application as absorber layer in solar cells.
文摘Clays are among the most essential industrial minerals due to their unique physicochemical properties and versatile usage. This paper used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software to characterize five clay deposits for their physical and chemical compositions. The package, was employed to carry out the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) by Post-Hoctambane multiple comparisons and Kristal Wallis at 5% confidence level for the f- and t-tests respectively. The analysis of variance of the chemical components of the samples by post-hoc (f8, 36 = 52.40, p 8, 37.38 and p 2 and Al2O3. Pearson bivariate correlation statistical tool was also used to establish if significant positive interrelationships exist between the parameters in each site of the clay samples at (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). The result of the correlation indicates a very significant, strong and positive coefficient p-values above 0.900 between the chemical and physicalproperties. Pearson bivariate correlation coefficient between the chemical and physical parameters of the clay samples indicates very significant, strong and positive correlations with p-values above 0.900 at (p < 0.01 and <0.05). The overall physicochemical results indicate that most of the clay samples will meet the requirements for some industrial applications with minimal processing.
文摘In this paper, the authors extracted and investigated the effect of relative humidity (RH) on some microphysical and optical properties of continental polluted aerosols from OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds) at the spectral range of 0.25 μm to 2.5 μm and eight relative humidities (0%, 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98%, and 99%). The microphysical properties extracted were radii, volume, number and mass mix ratios as functions of RH while the optical properties were optical depth, extinction, scattering and absorption coefficients single scattering albedo, refractive indices and asymmetric parameters also at eight RHs. Using the microphysical properties, effective hygroscopic growth factors and effective radii of the mixtures were determined while using optical properties we determined the enhancement parameters, effective refractive indices and angstrom coefficients. Using the effective hygroscopic growth, we determined the dependence of the effective hygroscopicity parameter as a function of RH, while using enhancement parameters;we determined the effect of humidification factor on RH and wavelengths. The effective hygroscopic growth and enhancement parameters were then parameterized using some models to determine the effective hygroscopicity parameter, bulk hygroscopicity and humidification factors. We observed that the data fitted the models very well. The effective radii decrease with the increase in RH while the effective hygroscopic growth increases with the increase in RH, and this is in line with the increase in angstrom parameters, and this shows increase in mode size with the increase in RH. The angstrom coefficients show that the mixture has a bimodal type of distribution with the dominance of fine mode particles.
文摘Thin films of hematite (α-Fe2O3) were deposited by heteronucleation through the process of hydrolysis and condensation of an aqueous solution of 0.1 M Fe (NO3)3.9H2O, 1 M NaNO3, 50 ml H2O in addition with five drops of HCl at 90℃. One of the samples was kept as prepared while the others were annealed at different temperatures in order to determine the effect of annealing on their solid state and optical properties. The films were characterized using Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS), spectroscopy for chemical composition and thickness, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer for the analysis of other solid state and optical properties and a photomicroscope for photomicrographs. The results indicate that while the absorbance and absorption coefficient decreases with increasing annealing temperature, the direct band gap and refractive index increases with increasing annealing temperature in the direction of increasing photon energy in the visible range. Also, there is a high infrared transmittance which increases with increasing annealing temperature and a shift/decrease in peak value of all the optical properties except transmittance in the direction of increasing photon energy as annealing temperature increases. The results further indicate that ACG hematite thin film annealed at 632K is a suitable metal oxide semiconductor material for photocatalytic applications. It is also suitable for use in the construction of poultry houses for the rearing of chicks because of its high infrared transmittance including other opto-electronic applications.
文摘Objective:To investigated the prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis(HAT),a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiens in an endemic focus of Nigeria,as it relates to age,sex and occupational differences.Methods:A total of 474 human subjects were screened using card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis kit.Positive samples were further investigated for parasite positivity in blood/serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF).Results:Of the 474 screened,44(9.3%) were seropositive with seroprevalence of 22(9.6%) in Urhouka,14(9.5%) in Umeghe and 8(7.9%) for Ugonu.The number of seropositives,observed for weakly,moderately and strongly positives for the three communities were 4,7 and 11 in Urhouka,4,5 and 5 in Umeghe and 3,2 and 3 in Ugonu respectively.Among the 16 volunteers with detected parasite in their blood,4 of them were weakly positive,5 of them were moderately positive and 7 of them strongly positive.4 volunteers from Urhouka community were found parasites in their CSF and they were all strongly positive.The difference between the seroprevalence of males and females was not statistically significant(OR=1.14,95%CI=0.37-3.4,P】0.05).The prevalence difference between age group 21-30 years old and the youngest and oldest age groups was statistically significant(OR=3.5,95%CI= 1.08-12.57,P【0.05) but not significant for other age categories (P】0.05),It was observed that farmers had significantly higher prevalence of HAT infection as well as greater risk of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection than inhabitants with other occupations (OR=3.25,95%CI=0.99-11.79,P【0.05).Conclusions:Human activities such as farming and visits to the river have been identified as major risk factors to HAT.Also the breakdown of HAT control program has been advanced for the rise in HAT in Abraka,an endemic focus in Nigeria.
文摘Wound repair is noticeably prolonged in a diabetic state due to a faulty inflammatory process and an underlying neuropathy.Several medicinal plants and their products have been of prime importance for the management of wounds over the years.Various mechanisms whereby medicinal plants elicit their action in wound repair are revealed and some plants are proven to be experimentally effective in enhancing wound closure and achieving healing.The mechanisms identified include hyperglycemic control,alleviation of physiological inflammation,controlled oxidative stress,infection control,and influence on gene expression.Information in this review was sourced from research and review articles in electronic databases such as Web of Science,Scopus,PubMed,and Google Scholar.
文摘The adsorption capacity of steam activated carbon prepared from Delonix regia pods SADRC for adsorption of Aniline Blue (AB) from aqueous solution was investigated under various experimental conditions. Batch study was conducted to assess the potential of the activated carbon for the removal of Aniline Blue from aqueous solution. Activated carbon prepared from Delonix regia pods was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrophotometry before and after adsorption. The FTIR, spectra of SADRC pod before and after Aniline Blue adsorption were compared to study the impact of the Aniline Blue on the activated carbon developed from the Delonix regia pod. The stretching vibration band at 2169.54 cm-1 may be due to strong CN, while the stretching vibration band at around 1580 - 1650 cm-1 may be due to C=C stretching vibration. The bands around 1350 and 426.49 cm-1 are due to C-N and –SO3H group, respectively;this further suggests that some functional groups may be present on the surface of the carbon due to the low temperature of carbonization (300°C) of the adsorbent. Equilibrium isotherm studies were carried out by varying the following four parameters: initial concentration of Aniline Blue dye solution, solution pH and adsorbent dose. The equilibrium data obtained were more fitted to Langmuir than Freundlich isotherm models. The correlation coefficient value (R2) of the pseudo first order kinetics ranged from 0.08 to 0.85 while the R2 of the pseudo second order kinetics ranged from 0.963 to 0.997 at all the temperatures and initial concentrations considered. This suggests that the adsorption kinetics of Aniline Blue onto SADRC can be represented with pseudo second order kinetic model. This study showed that Delonix regia pod could be effectively used as an adsorbent for the removal of Aniline Blue from aqueous solutions over a wide range of concentration and temperature.
文摘This research aimed at the use of natural products to extend the shelf life of perishable vegetables. Studies were conducted on the preservative effects of four plant extracts--Xylopia aethiopica, Piper nigrum, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Carica papaya seeds on tomato and pepper. Tomato and pepper were dipped into four different concentrations of aqueous extracts of the four plants as well as water serving as control. The result of the study showed that aqueous extract of all plants extended the shelf life of tomato and pepper with increasing concentration of the extracts, except for Carica papaya seeds which produced significant elongation of 12.0 ±0.6 d and 14.0 ± 0.7 d on tomato and pepper, respectively, at the least concentration of 0.25 mg/mL. The results showed that these ethnomedicinal plants can serve as good and potent sources of natural preservatives which can be used to substitute existing synthetics used in the food industry.
文摘Balanites aegyptiaca has multiplicity of uses and almost every part of the plant is useful including its flowers, leaves, bark, root and fruit. In this study, oil from Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) kernel seed was extracted, analyzed and used in the formulation of soap and lotion. The physical parameters determined were oil content, specific gravity, refractive index and moisture content. These were found to be 45.32% ± 0.0026%, 0.90 ± 0.03, 1.45% and 0.114% ± 0.04%, respectively. The chemical parameters evaluated include saponification value (200.02 ± 0.12 mg KOH/g), acid value (2.14 ± 0.28 mg KOH/g), iodine value (104.39 ± 0.00 100/g), peroxide value (2.95 ± 0.00 mEq/kg) and free fatty acid (0.82% ± 0.01%). The oil quality assessments test indicates %FFA content of 0.84% and the fatty acids composition of the oil was evaluated using GC-MS as FAME;the oil contains about 47.52% unsaturated fatty acids. The seed kernel of Balanites aegyptiaca is a good source of vegetable oil. Soap formulated from the oil is considered a good soap based on the soap quality parameters determined. Lotion formulated has a good stability when subjected to lotion stability test.
