Life Sciences

A study was conducted on drinking water sources in Okura district, Dekina Local Government, Kogi State to examine parasites of medical importance. A total of 300 water samples were collected from two sources (Borehole and River water) in three communities (Anyigba, Egume and Ochaja) between the months of November 2014 and January 2015. In all the two sources, water was contaminated with eggs, trophozoites, cysts, oocysts, larvae and juveniles of parasites. Parasites were isolated using sedimentation method and viewed microscopically.

Selenium, a ubiquitously occurring element in the environment, is classified as an essential element for human and animal health because, among others, it has antiviral and anticarcinogenic effects and plays a biological role as a component of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase that catalyzes the decomposition of H2O2 and consequently protects cells from oxidative damage. Dietary Se intake in Malawi is <20 µg person-1 day-1, which is low compared to recommended 50-70 µg person-1 day-1 worldwide. Selenium bioavailability is affected largely by acidity effects.

The Adhesives industry is one  of  the most importance of  PVAc Resin, especially wood product manufacturer .it has many advantages low cost, easy in appilication, minimal harmful in environment effects. However, The PVAc resin also having the disadvantages that it’s bonding  and  viscosity was dependent the work condition get worse at the low temperature.  For that phthalate-based plasticizer is used to complement these disadvantages, Bond strength and heat-resistance is weakened by without adding the plasticizer and in the low temperature. The plasticizer quantity should be increased.

Cocoa agroforest remained the main cultivated agroforest in West Africa. This study examined the effects of shading regime, soil depth and soil texture on the growth of immature cocoa trees. A field experiment was conducted during one year in forest zone in Togo and data was collected in twelve cocoa orchards established in June - July 2014. Three equal size plots (12 x 10 m²) were randomly located in each orchard, where agronomic variables and soil samples were collected.

Medicinal plant and traditional medicine play an important role in health care system of most developing countries. Conservation of threatened species of medicinal plant and their habitat and support for livelihood security through protection of medicinal plant. Traditional health care system is mainly dependent on medicinal plant collected from wild medicinal plant bio-diversity is being depleted due to man made natural calamity.

Water extract of green tea byproducts was examined as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in H2SO4 acid solution using the open circuit potential (Eoc) measurement, the polarization technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Eoc measurement and polarization studies showed a strong corrosion inhibition of the extract. Eoc and the inhibition efficiency (H) were found to increase with increasing the extract quantity in the acid solution. The corrosion inhibition of the extract affected both anodic and cathodic reactions.

Rice is the staple food in Asia and is the single biggest user of fresh water Amudha et al., 2009). The declining availability of water threatens the traditional way of irrigated rice production and necessitates water use efficiency in rice production. Aerobic rice system is the cultivation of high yielding varieties in unpuddled, unsaturated soil (Bouman, 2001).

Biopesticides are mostly used to control fungal plant diseases because of their ecofriendly nature and their cost effectiveness. The present study focused on antifungal activity of solvent based plant extracts of common medicinal plants Azadirachta indica ,Tinospora cordifolia, Oscimum sanctum, Justicia adhatoda , Catharanthus roseus, Aegle marmelos, Aloe barbadensis, Tithonia diversifolia, Hyptis suaveolens and Pongamia pinnata were observed against soil borne phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum by modified poisoned food technique.

Twenty isolates of Fusarium oxysporum causing wilt of tomato were recorded for its cultural and morphological variations. The Fusarium oxysporum isolates Fs4 , Fs8 , Fs 11 , Fs12 , Fs14 , Fs15 , Fs16 , Fs17 , Fs19 , Fs20 having the radial colony growth between diameter of 86 mm to 90 mm were among the fast growing category whereas isolates Fs1 , Fs3 , Fs10 , Fs13 , Fs18 showed colony growth between 64 mm to 80 mm classified as medium growing and bellow 64 mm growth of isolates were recorded as slow growing.

Kanyakumari District consists of four taluksAgasteeswaram, Kalkulam, Thovalai and Vilavancode. People of this taluk traditionally are co-existing with their native environment and depend on plants and plant products for health and treatment of diseases. Jaundice is the commonest ailments affecting the citizens. An ethnobotanical survey of Plants used by the traditional healers for the treatment of Jaundice was conducted in the Thovalaitaluk. A total of 30 plants belonging to 29 genera and 21 families have been documented for their therapeutic use against jaundice.