<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The development of an African native language-based programming language, using Yoruba as a case study, is envisioned. Programming languages based on the lexicons of indigenous African languages are rare to come by unlike those based on Asian and / or European languages. Availability of programming languages based on lexicons of African indigenous language would facilitate comprehension of problem-solving processes using computer by indigenous learners and teachers as confirmed by research results. In order to further assess the relevance, usefulness and needfulness of such a programming language, a preliminary needs assessment survey was carried out. The needs assessment was carried out through design of a structured questionnaire which was administered to 130 stakeholders in computer profession and computer education; including some staffers and learners of some primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Oyo and Osun states of Nigeria, Africa. The responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The analysis of the responses to the questionnaire shows that 89% of the respondents to the questionnaire expressed excitement and willingness to program or learn programming in their mother tongue-based programming language, if such a programming language is developed. This result shows the high degree of relevance, usefulness and needfulness of a native language-based programming language as well as the worthwhileness of embarking on development of such a programming language.</abstract>

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

A Needs Assessment for Indigenous African Language-Based Programming Languages

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In this treatise, we examined the activities of researchers of Nigeria descent in the frontier areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology, with a focus on green nanotechnology. The exploration of literature published by scholars were reviewed and compartmentalized on the basis of applications of the nanomaterials. It can be concluded that the level of activities in this area is expanding owing to the emergence of more published works since the beginning of 2010. However, in comparison with research outputs from other developing African countries such as South Africa and Egypt, activities in green nanotechnology are still at low ebb in Nigeria. Issues that are contributory to the slow pace were identified and appropriate solutions in terms of improved funding of education, enactment of national policy on nanotechnology, curriculum development, international cooperation as well as human resource development among others were discussed.</abstract>

Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology and Nanobiotechnology

Green Nanotechnology in Nigeria: The Research Landscape, Challenges and Prospects

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Studies reveal that not up to 50% of earthworm species have been described in the world and the understanding of earthworm diversity is finite in most countries including Nigeria. The study was aimed at evaluating the diversity of earthworms and environmental factors affecting their abundance. Earthworms were collected from three (3) different sampling locations in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Descriptive statistics and estimation of species abundance, dominance and diversity were used to analyze the data obtained from the study. From the study, four (4) species of earthworms were identified and recorded from the three sampling locations. <italic>Eudrilus eugeniae</italic> (54.9%) was the most abundant species followed by <italic>Hyperidrilus africanus</italic> (20.3%), <italic>Libyodrilus violaceous</italic> (19.6%) and <italic>Alma millsoni</italic> (6.3%) with the least abundant species. The result of the diversity indices showed Science village (1.13) as the most diverse habitat followed by Emelda hostel (0.86) and Boys’ hostel (0.84) with the least diversity of species. Soil pH ranged from 2.25 to 4.06 and total organic matter ranged from 14.10 to 16.36%. Soil temperature was uniform with an average value of 27°C for the three sampling locations. The soil moisture content ranged from 11.19 to 14.12%. The conductivity recorded the lowest value (25.60μS/cm) in Emelda Hostel and highest value (111.8 μS/cm) in Science village. The study provided understanding into the patterns of earthworm populations in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and the need for the conservation of earthworm diversity. Better understanding about habitat and living conditions of earthworms is required to provide suitable and enhanced production of vermicompost in different geographic conditions.</abstract>

Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology

Centre for Environmental Management and Control

Diversity of Earthworms in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">In this study, the potential DNA damage and reproductive toxicity of sorbitol was investigated using bone marrow micronucleus (MN), sperm morphology, and sperm count in mice. Five doses of 90, 45, 20, 10 and 1 mg/kg/day, defined by allometry, and approximately corresponding to 1.5g, 750mg, 330mg, 165mg and 16mg of sorbitol daily consumption by a 70kg human, respectively, were used. MN analysis showed a dose-dependent induction of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and other nuclear abnormalities across the treatment groups. Assessment of sperm shape showed a significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in sperm abnormalities with significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease in mean sperm count in treated groups. The result of the oxidative stress biomarkers showed induction of significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in liver catalase, MDA and serum ALT and AST activities with concomitant decrease in SOD activities in exposed mice. A significant increase in weight of exposed mice were recorded when compared with the negative control. The results of this study showed the genotoxicity and reproductive effects of sorbitol.</abstract>

Oxidative Stress Induced DNA Damage and Reproductive Toxicity in Male Albino Mice Orally Exposed to Sorbitol

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Synthetic flocculants in water treatment have been reported to be detrimental to both human health and the environment. Thus, there is a constant search for bio-flocculants that is safe and addresses the effects of synthetic polymers. This study was aimed at isolating bacteria with bio-flocculating potential, their molecular identification and phylogenetic relatedness, and the optimization of their flocculating abilities from an open water (Asa River) in Ilorin Kwara State. The effect of carbon source (glucose, lactose and starch), cations (FeSO4, KCl and CaCl2) and pH (2 to 12) was evaluated on the bio-flocculating activities of the isolates using kaolin clay. The seven (7) novel (new strains) isolates with their respective accession number from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) after molecular confirmation are <italic>Pseudomonas otitidis MTK01 (MK263227), Aeromonas caviea MTK02 (MK263228), Providencia alcalifaciens MTK03 (MK263229), Providencia sp. MTK05 (MK263230), Alcaligenes sp. MTK06 (MK263231), Klebsiella pneumoniae MTK07 (MK263232)</italic> and <italic>Klebsiella sp. MTK08 (MK263233)</italic> while <italic>Raoultella ornithinolytica MTK04</italic> was also identified. Phylogenetic tree of relatedness showed close kin of the isolates to established bacteria sequence deposited at the NCBI GenBank. Although the flocculating rate of each isolates varied with different parameters that was used in the study, glucose was the most supportive followed by lactose and starch, CaCl2 was most supportive cation followed by KCl and FeSO4 while pH 12, 6, 8, 10, 2 and 4 were the order of decreasing flocculating rate of the medium. This study has reported the presence of eight (8) bio-flocculating bacteria (out of which 7 are new strains of bacteria) in an open water which has been further optimized for effective flocculating rate and thus provides an ecofriendly and harmless flocculants source that can be employed in water treatment procedures.</abstract>

Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences

Screening for Bio-flocculant Producing Bacterial Strains from Asa River in Ilorin Kwara State

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Asa river is a major river designated to supply millions of people of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria potable water for drinking but its managements is of grave concern due to anthropogenic activities. Thus, evaluation of genotoxicity of this river was carried out by subjecting the water samples and fish therein to three bioassays (Micronucleus (MN) assay, Ames test and SOS-chromo test). Physicochemical parameters and heavy metals were analysed at three different stations (Aliara (SI), Unity (SII) and Tuyil (SIII)) of the river. In SII, most of the heavy metals analysed were above the acceptable limits compare to SI and SIII. The peripheral erythrocyte of the fishes (<italic>Oreochromis niloticus, Synodontis batensoda, Synodontis eupterus, Clarias gariepinus and Clarias angullaris</italic>) at SI and SII stations showed a significant (p&lt;0.05) induction of MN and different nuclear abnormalities (NA). Water samples from the three stations subjected to Ames test (<italic>Salmonella typhimurium</italic> TA100) and SOS chromotests (<italic>Escherichia coli</italic> PQ37) at 25%, 50% and 100% concentrations showed statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) induction of DNA damage at all concentrations in the two tester strains, thus indicating base-pair substitution mutation and excision-repairdeficient, respectively, by the water samples. Therefore, drinking of this water and/or consumption of fish from this river should be taken with caution to avoid a carcinogenic risk.</abstract>

Cell Biology and Genetics Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences

Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science

Zoology Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology

Fisheries and Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences

Induction of Micronuclei, Base-pair Substitution Mutation and Excision-repair Deficient by Polluted Water from Asa River in Nigeria

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This paper assessed in-vehicle and ambient pollution levels from vehicles along Ilorin-Lagos highway covering three distinct 3-hour periods (morning, afternoon and evening) of the day (from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm) along with reported health challenges at six (6) settlements (SP1-SP6) that covered four (4) states. In the case of ambient pollution, Gilair-3 air sampler (GAS) was used to measure sulphur (iv) oxide, (SO2) while ALTAIR 5x Multi-gas Detector (AMD) was used to measure both carbon (ii) oxide, (CO) and sulphur (iv) oxide, (SO2) for all scenarios. Vehicular volume was manually conducted to determine the number of vehicles. Questionnaire was used to assess information on the health challenges faced by the commuters. The concentrations of SO2 ranged from 0.142 - 0.550 ppm (ambient) and 0.037 - 0.097 ppm (in vehicle) using AMD and GAS respectively while CO concentration was between 2.289 - 18.055 ppm using AMD. The results for the in- vehicular pollution revealed that the concentration levels obtained for CO and SO2 inside the vehicles were 6.32 ppm and 0.126 ppm under opened-window condition and 9.53 ppm and 0.274 ppm under closed-window condition respectively (without air condition). The SO2 concentrations obtained from both ambient and in-vehicle were found to be much higher when compared with the FEPA standards; SO2 (0.01 – 0.1 ppm), USEPA standards; SO2 (0.075 ppm) while the CO level obtained from in-vehicle under the two scenarios (opened and closed windows) were below the limit of NESREA standards (10 – 20 ppm) and USEPA standards (35 ppm). Having noticed that these pollutants act under different environmental conditions, the work established statistical evidence that traffic volume affected the pollutants concentrations at most of the sampling points and that the higher the traffic, the higher the emissions and the more the risk of health challenges.</abstract>

An Assessment of Vehicular Emissions and Related Health Impacts along Ilorin-Lagos Highway in Nigeria

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 8 (2023): Issue 2 (December 2023)

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Volume 7 (2022): Issue 2 (December 2022)

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Volume 6 (2021): Issue 2 (December 2021)

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