Caritas University

Environmental contamination with toxic metals poses significant risks to food safety, particularly in regions with abandoned mining sites. This study investigates the concentration and potential health risks of trace metals-manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), and iron (Fe)-in soil and their bioaccumulation in cassava tubers cultivated near abandoned mining sites in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, the study found substantial accumulation of toxic metals in farmland soils within the mining vicinity, with Pb showing the highest mean concentration (1309 ± 103mg/kg) and Sr the lowest (78 ± 9mg/kg). Cassava tubers grown in these contaminated soils exhibited significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) of toxic metals compared to those from uncontaminated reference soils, with Pb (889 ± 63mg/kg) and Fe (1826 ± 89mg/kg) concentrations exceeding permissible limits established by the World Health Organization, while Mn showed the lowest concentration (132 ± 19mg/kg). Health risk assessments revealed hazard index values exceeding 1, with Pb demonstrating the highest target hazard quotient values of 485.71 for children and 180 for adults, indicating significant health risks associated with the consumption of contaminated cassava. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of Pb was 0.63mg/kg/day for adults and 1.7mg/kg/day for children, far exceeding safe thresholds. These findings underscore the urgent need for mitigation strategies to reduce heavy metal exposure in affected communities and ensure food safety, particularly for vulnerable populations like children who face disproportionate risks due to their lower body weight and higher ingestion rates relative to adults.

The constant failure in cyber security in power systems and substation automation that has crippled business activities that mostly depend on power to run their routine activities are caused by Lack of Adequate Security Measures, Human Error, Outdated Software and Hardware, Insufficient Training and Awareness, Insider Threats, Weak Access Control Mechanisms, Inadequate Network Segmentation, Failure to Patch Vulnerabilities, Complexity of the System, Third-Party Vendor Risks and Denial of Service (DoS) Vulnerabilities. This is surmounted by introducing improved cyber security in power systems and substation automation using intelligent based system. To achieve this, it is done in this procedure characterizing and establishing the causes of failure in cyber security in power systems and substation automation, designing a SIMULINK model for cyber security in power systems and substation automation, designing a rule base that will reduce the causes of failure in cyber security in power systems and substation automation,training ANN in the rule base for effective reduction of causes of failure in cyber security in power systems and substation automation, developing an algorithm for the process, designing a SIMULINK model for improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation using intelligent based system and validating and justifying the percentage of improvement in the reduction of causes of failure in cyber security in power systems and substation automation. The results obtained were the conventional Lack of Adequate Security Measures that cause failure in improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation was 25%. On the other hand, when an intelligent based system was incorporated into the system, it drastically reduce the cause failure in improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation to 21.53%, the conventional outdated software and hardware that cause failure in improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation was 15%. Meanwhile, when an intelligent based system was inculcated in the system, it became reduced to 12.92% thereby enhancing the performance of cyber security in power systems and substation automation by 2.08%, the conventional Weak Access Control Mechanisms that cause failure in improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation was 8%. However, when an intelligent based system was integrated in the system, it was reduced to 6.9% and the conventional Denial of Service (DoS) Vulnerabilities that cause failure in improving cyber security in power systems and substation automation was 2% while when an intelligent based system was incorporated in the system, it automatically reduced to 1.7%. Finally, with these results obtained, It vehemently shows that the percentage improvement in cyber security in power systems and substation automation was 0.3%.

Perceived organizational support (POS) is a proxy of organizational identification (OI) that draws heavily on the feelings of employees. Sense of feeling affects employees’ level of attachment to the organization, which invariably affects performance and subsequently extra role performance (ERP). The consistent drop in the performance of the Nigerian manufacturing sector, and the need for improvement necessitated the consideration of the human elements as determinants of organizational performance. Hence, this study investigated the effects of POS on ERP with a view to enhancing employees’ productivity vis-à-vis overall performance of manufacturing organizations in Nigeria. The population comprises 3,875 workers from 10 registered member organizations of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in the southeastern region of Nigeria selected using a multi-stage technique. Employing a survey design, data collection instrument was administered to a sample size of 351. A structured questionnaire utilizing a 5-point Likert scale was employed for data collection. Face-content validity was adopted and a test-retest method showed a high reliability. Data were presented in frequency tables and hypothesis tested at 5% level of significance using ANOVA. It was found that perceived organizational support strongly affects extra-role performance of workers (r=.960; F=3690.322; t=60.748; p&lt;0.05). The finding suggests that manufacturing companies in Nigeria ought to support policies that promote organizational support of employees as this leads to high employees’ OI and subsequent improvement of employees’ ERP in order to enhance organizational growth.

This study focuses on the ultimate tensile strength of Al 2024 in that since the past decade, Al 2024 alloy (Al-4.5% Cu-1.5% Mg-0.6% Mn) has been one of the most widely used Al-Cu-Mg-Mn alloys. Therefore, it was subjected to heat treatment, quenching, and artificial aging. The artificial aging temperatures were 1400 &deg;C, 1600 &deg;C, 1800 &deg;C, and 1900 &deg;C, each for the range from 0.5 hr to 9 hr. The ultimate tensile strength of the as-cast after solutionizing and quenching increased from 185 MPa to 199 MPa, representing a 7.6% increase. At 1900 &deg;C aging temperature, the peak value of 348 MPa, representing an 88.1% increase from the as-cast value, was recorded at 6 hr aging time. The drops in ultimate tensile strength values outside the peak aging time of 6 hr were attributed to the precipitation of incoherent and coarse secondary phases in the alloy structure. Ultimate tensile strength values increased at various aging temperatures and aging times, culminating in 482 MPa, which is the semi-maximum overall value at 1800 &deg;C and 6 hr. Aging temperature, representing a 160.5% increase from the as-cast value, while 510 MPa was recorded as the overall maximum ultimate tensile strength at 1400 &deg;C and 8 hr aging time, representing a 175.7% increase from the as-cast value. This was a very considerable enhancement in the mechanical properties of Al 2024 with respect to ultimate tensile strength.

Building collapse incidents in Nigeria appear to be on the increase with the cases witnessed in Lagos State being the worst. The situation has been endemic notwithstanding the efforts of professionals and other stakeholders in the built environment. Numerous literatures exist on the issue of building collapse. However, they mostly focus on the roles of other professionals such as Structural Engineers, Builders, Architects and Town Planners. On the contrary, this study centers on highlighting the significance of Estate Surveyors and Valuers contributions by getting their perspectives on building collapse , particularly in Lagos Island areas VI, Lekki, Lagos Island &amp; Ikoyi) of Lagos State. The study employed a conceptual model which identified various factors responsible for building collapse in Lagos Island areas of Lagos, the major roles of Estate Surveyors and Valuers which can facilitate a significant reduction building collapse in Lagos State, the challenges faced by Estate Surveyors and Valuers in ensuring building collapse prevention in Lagos State and evaluated the effectiveness of existing regulations and guidelines governing the role of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in building collapse prevention in Lagos State. Data collection was by the administration of a well-structured questionnaire. Out of 80 copies of the questionnaire administered using Purposive Expert-Homogeneous sampling technique, 83.75% response rate were retrieved and evaluated for further analysis, with mean item score, and inferential statistics using Chi-square Test for the hypothesis test. The result indicates that Estate Surveyors and Valuers have significant impact in the prevention of building collapse. Based on the research findings, some useful recommendations were advanced.

Knowledge of malaria-immunity is essential for understanding the pathology, treatment &amp; vaccine production. So, changes in CD4 in malaria patients were studied at a teaching hospital in Enugu, Nigeria. 45 patients on doctor’s provisional diagnosis of malaria were examined for Plasmodium infections and the degree of parasitaemia (0/+/ ++/ &amp; +++). Positive/(+) and negative/(0) samples were thereafter counted for CD4 using Flow Cytometry. CD4 cell count of Plasmodium-negative specimens were within reference ranges (RR): (464-1308); mean value: 835. Fifteen (+) parasitaemia showed lower ranges of CD4 count (502-1282); mean: 678; with immune falls in one (427). 9/12 (++) parasitaemia showed crash in CD4 counts, range: 301- 415; mean: 399. Seven (+++) parasitaemia showed crashes in CD4 counts, range: 160-357; mean: 225. As parasitaemia rises, neutrophils, Total WBC and lymphocyte significantly rise in numeric. Malaria causes immunosuppression; unlike prevailing reports, should accelerate complications in immunodeficients-patients, Haemolytic-anaemia results only from chronic cases. CD4 counts should be a paradigm in malaria investigation.

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The aim of this paper is to Automatic watering or irrigation control system has been designed and constructed. The prototype of the system worked according to specification and quite satisfactorily. The system components are readily available, relatively affordable and they operate quite reliably. The system helps to eliminate the stress of manual irrigation and irrigation control while at the same time conserving the available water supply. Improving Irrigation efficiency can contribute greatly to reducing production costs of agricultural products, thereby making the industry to be more competitive and sustainable .It can be seen from the results obtained that the system responded linearly with respect to the degree of dryness for the three soil types. There is a linear relationship between the degree of soil dryness and the time taken to irrigate the soil. At 50% dryness, irrigation duration was 2.0, 2.0 and 2.5 seconds for sandy, loamy and clayey soils respectively. While at 70% dryness, irrigation duration increased to 3.0, 7.5 and 8.0 seconds for sandy, loamy and clayey soils respectively. It is seen that irrigation in loamy soil generally took longer in loamy soil than in sandy soil, and clayey soil irrigation took longest.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Introduction: Controlling type 2 diabetes with a treatment having no side effects remains a challenge for researchers even if the side effects are reduced and there may be a chance for reduced adverse reactions or severe side effects due to drug interaction. These interactions could result from concurrent use of dietary supplements or pharmacological therapy in addition to the medications. The current reading's objective was to assess the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses, and antidiabetic potentials of methanol leaf extract of Caylusea abyssinica (C. abyssinica) in diabetic rats. Methods: The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses of total alkaloids phenol, and flavonoids were determined using the well-known test procedure outlined in the literature. The obtained C. abyssinica methanol leaf extract was used to examine in vitro anti-diabetic activity (α-Amylase inhibition), oral acute toxicity, and in vivo anti-diabetic activity against streptozotocin-induced diabetes rat model. Alkaloids, carbohydrates, reducing sugars, saponins, phenolic compounds, glycosides, tannins, and flavonoids were all established in the samples after phytochemical examination. Results: The amount of phenolics in the methanol leaf extract was (295.50 mg/g), with flavonoids coming in second (136.66 mg/g) and alkaloids coming in third (11.23 mg/g). The extract's ability to inhibit α-amylase was investigated. The study's findings show that the chosen plants had significant in vitro anti-diabetic effect. Up to 2000 mg/kg given over 14 days, the methanol extract's acute toxicity trials did not reveal any harmful effects. Rats were given streptozotocin (60 mg/kg; i.p.) to induce diabetes, and glibenclamide (500 mcg/kg body weight) was utilized as the usual medication. Body weight, HDL, total protein, SGOT, SGPT, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and triglycerides were all assessed in this study. Comparing diabetic rats to normal (control) rats, blood sugar and total protein, SGOT, SGPT, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride concentrations were all considerably (p&lt; 0.001) reduced after oral administration of methanol extract of C. abyssinica at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and increased the level of HDL and body weight. Conclusion: As a result of the aforementioned findings, it can be said that C. abyssinica methanol leaf extract significantly reduces blood sugar levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Peer Review History: Received: 5 November 2022; Revised: 11 December; Accepted: 8 January 2023, Available online: 15 January 2023 Academic Editor: Dr. Tamer Elhabibi, Suez Canal University, Egypt, tamer_hassan@pharm.suez.edu.eg Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. Sangeetha Arullappan, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, sangeetha@utar.edu.my Prof. Hüsniye Kayalar, Ege University, Turkey, husniyekayalar@gmail.com Similar Articles: EFFECT OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CLERODENDRUM THOMSONIAE LINN (VERBENACEAE) LEAVES ON TYPE 2 DIABETIC WISTAR RATS INDUCED BY THE MACAPOS1 TYPE DIET AND DEXAMETHASONE ANTIDIABETIC AND ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF DRACAENA CINNABARI BALF. RESIN ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SOQATRA ISLAND IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS EVALUATION OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF EUPHORBIA NERIIFOLIA STEM BARK ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, SERUM AND TISSUE LIPIDS IN A PRECLINICAL MODEL

The aim of this paper is to Automatic watering or irrigation control system has been designed and constructed. The prototype of the system worked according to specification and quite satisfactorily. The system components are readily available, relatively affordable and they operate quite reliably. The system helps to eliminate the stress of manual irrigation and irrigation control while at the same time conserving the available water supply. Improving Irrigation efficiency can contribute greatly to reducing production costs of agricultural products, thereby making the industry to be more competitive and sustainable .It can be seen from the results obtained that the system responded linearly with respect to the degree of dryness for the three soil types. There is a linear relationship between the degree of soil dryness and the time taken to irrigate the soil. At 50% dryness, irrigation duration was 2.0, 2.0 and 2.5 seconds for sandy, loamy and clayey soils respectively. While at 70% dryness, irrigation duration increased to 3.0, 7.5 and 8.0 seconds for sandy, loamy and clayey soils respectively. It is seen that irrigation in loamy soil generally took longer in loamy soil than in sandy soil, and clayey soil irrigation took longest.