Ife Journal of Science

Phenotypic diversity of three populations of the silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus (Lacepède, 1803) in Southwestern, Nigeria

T.E. Oladimeji, K.O. Olalekan, T.J. Ajayi — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, commonly regarded as the silver catfish, is a highly prized and valued food fish with extensive distribution across African waters. Herein, C. nigrodigitatus was studied for its phenotypic diversity in three different waterbodies: Asejire Reservoir, Epe Lagoon, and Igbokoda River, using their morphological features. Fifty samples of C. nigrodigitatus were collected from each water body, totaling 150 specimens. Thirty morphometric traits and four meristic body counts were recorded on each fish using standard tools. The morphometric measurements were normalized to fish size to eliminate any size-related bias using percentage standard length (SL) and further transformed to common logarithms. Size-corrected data were subjected to One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS 26 and Multivariate analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Cluster analysis) on PAST software. ANOVA showed significant differences (p<0.05) within and between groups of 18 out of the 33 morphological parameters of C. nigrodigitatus examined. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster analysis revealed overlapping data between Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus populations from Asejire reservoir and Epe Lagoon, whereas Igbokoda River population formed a distinct cluster. The result suggests that the Igbokoda River population of C. nigrodigitatus is morphologically different from the other two populations (Asejire reservoir, and Epe lagoon) and thus can be regarded as a phenotypically separable population.

From nuisance to necessity: Documenting the ethnomedicinal importance of weeds in Ondo State Nigeria

A.A. Azeez, A.T. Azeez, B.M. Ayeyemi — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The search for natural medicinal sources has gained momentum due to the adverse side effects associated with conventional medicine. Traditionally, forests and protected areas have been the primary focus for local practitioners of herbal medicine, leading to significant and often unmeasured impacts on forest ecosystems, particularly on tree species that are vital for local medicinal preparations. This study identified and documented 56 medicinal weeds belonging to 49 genera and 25 families commonly utilized in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State for the treatment of approximately 75 ailments. Among these, family Asteraceae is the most widely used plant family with diverse functions employed in treating fevers, infections (skin, blood, lung, kidney), digestive disorders (diarrhea, dysentery, liver diseases), inflammatory conditions (sores, burns, arthritis, rheumatism), and cardiovascular ailments. The Amaranthaceae family is frequently employed to address kidney diseases, gonorrhoea, and inflammatory conditions; Fabaceae is recognized for its effectiveness against diarrhea, and Euphorbiaceae is noted for remedies for stomach issues. Whole plants (59.6%) are the most utilized parts in herbal formulations, followed by leaves (19.3%) and leaves and stem (7.0%). Despite their economic potential and role as viable alternatives to tree species in local medicine, the perceived nuisance of these weeds has often led to an undervaluation of their medicinal properties. The insights provided in this study aim to raise awareness regarding the medicinal significance of these weeds and to serve as a foundational resource for researchers interested in exploring their phytochemical and ethnomedicinal properties.

Morphological adaptations of maize accessions in response to natural field pathogen pressure

O.J. Olawuyi, B.O. Yusuf, A.A. Azeez, D.F. Igata, O.O. Ishola — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study evaluated the morphological response of ten maize accessions obtained from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, to field pathogens. The field experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with four replicates. The maize accessions were planted in unsterilized soil under natural field conditions. Data on morphological traits were collected over ten consecutive weeks, and disease severity was rated on a scale of 1 to 5. The findings reveal that Tropical Zea mays (TZM) 115 and TZM 105 accessions outperformed others in most morphological traits. TZM 115 had significantly higher values for the number of leaves (NOL: 10.41) and tassel length (TL: 52.73 cm) while TZM 1422 had the lowest values (NOL: 6.81, TL: 12.44 cm). This is further supported by hierarchical clustering analysis, which indicates that TZM 115 shares some similarity with accessions in the other two clusters. Regarding disease resistance, TZM 105 exhibited the highest resistance to field pathogens, with a disease severity rating of 2.90, whereas TZM 45 had the highest recorded severity rating of 3.38. Thus, this research elucidates the considerable genetic diversity present among maize accessions, revealing notable variations in growth patterns, agronomic characteristics and disease susceptibility. These results also enhance our comprehension of how morphological traits influence disease resistance and highlight the capability of certain maize accessions to thrive in the presence of field pathogens. Therefore, accessions TZM 115 and TZM 105 are recommended for adoption in maize breeding and improvement programs due to their high disease resistance potential and favorable morphological traits for sustainable and cost-effective resistance strategies.

Heavy metals in honey consumed in Southwest, Nigeria and its human health risk

O.E. Akinpelu, A.F. Akindele, A.A. Adeyi — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Honey is an agricultural product known for its nutritional and various medicinal values. There is a global concern about the challenges posed to human health by the toxicity of heavy metals from consumer goods, including agricultural products. Levels of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, copper, iron, zinc, and nickel) in some selected honey samples that were randomly collected from the Southwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria were assessed using Atomic Absorption spectroscopy. The concentrations (mg/kg) of lead, cadmium, copper, iron, zinc, and nickel ranged from 0.31±0.2 to 0.94±0.4 Pb, not detectable to 0.16±0.03 Cd, 0.42±0.1 to 6.00±9.6 Cu, 0.75±0.0 to 7.91±4.8 Fe, 1.64±0.1 to 2.64±0.5 Zn, and not detectable to 0.91±0.5 Ni, respectively. The estimated daily intake of metals and the health risk index were calculated to assess human health risk. The health risk assessment showed that there was no potential risk in the consumption of honey from this region. Evaluation of green analytical methods using analytical eco-scale approach ranked the results as “excellent green analysis''. Across the region under consideration, the general characteristics of the honey studied ranged as follows: ash content (g/100g): 0.17-0.67, pH: 5.27-5.45, acidity (g/100g): 0.12-0.56, electrical conductivity (mS/cm): 4.91-14.9, refractive index: 1.48-1.48, moisture (g/100 g): 21.8-23.1, and total solid content (g/100 g): 98.0-98.9.The results indicated that honey consumed in the southwest states contain heavy metals at satisfactory levels and the general characteristics were also within the tolerable limits. However, there is a need for regular assessment of agricultural products to safeguard human health

Inulinase production from Aspergillus oryzae OY-3 using onion peel as an alternative, low-cost substrate

O. Oyedeji, T.B. Arowolo, K.D. Oki — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Inulinases have broad biotechnological applications in diverse industrial sectors such as the food, confectionary, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries. This study was aimed at the production of inulinase from a filamentous fungus, under submerged fermentation conditions, using onion peel as a cheap, and renewable substrate. Nine strains of fungi were isolated from the soil of a Sugarcane Farmland in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and screened for their relative inulinase production. The identity of the selected inulinase-producing fungus was presumptively determined by phenotypic method, and this was confirmed by molecular method through the sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal DNA. The agro-wastes onion, orange, pineapple, and plantain peels were collected from the Fruit Market and processing sites in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and screened as suitable substrates for inulinase production from the selected fungus. The proximate analysis of the selected onion peel was carried out. The effect of each of the fermentation parameters incubation period, carbon sources, nitrogen sources, inoculum size, pH, and temperature on the enzyme production was also studied. The identity of the selected inulinase-producing fungus was confirmed by molecular method as Aspergillus oryzae OY-3. Of the agro-wastes screened, onion peel was observed to be the best substrate for the enzyme production from the fungus. The cultural parameters eliciting optimum inulinase production from the fungus were an incubation period of 72 h, initial pH, and incubation temperature of 4.0 and 30^oC, respectively. Others were a fungal spore inoculum size 0.5 mL, onion peel concentration 2.0%^w/_v , and nitrogen source peptone. This study has revealed the feasibility of the production of the industrially-important inulinase from A. oryzae OY-3, isolated from the soil of a Sugarcane Farmland, using onion peel as a low-cost, alternative substrate.

Stem anatomical studies of two species of Talinum occurring in Southwest, Nigeria

T.A. Adenegan-Alakinde, F.M. Ojo — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Taxonomic relationship using anatomical features of the stems ofTalinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd and Talinum paniculatum(Jacq.) Gaertn. was investigated. Transverse Section, Tangential Longitudinal Section (TLS), and Radial Longitudinal Section (RLS) of mature stems of each of the species were cut at 8 - 15 µm with the aid of a Reichert sliding microtome. Stem cuttings of about 10 cm of each species were also macerated using 10% Sodium hydroxide solution. Sections and macerates were stored in 50% ethanol. Sections and macerates were stained and viewed under the microscope. The study showed that the species had similar stem anatomical features, indicating close affinity and being members of the same genus but could still be separated based onthe presence of brachysclereid, osteosclereid, and multiseriate rays randomly distributed in T. triangulare while T. paniculatum has more regularly arranged multiseriate rays with neither brachysclereids nor osteosclereids. The compound rays of T. paniculatum are thin walled but thick-walled in T. triangulare. The ray cells in T. triangulare are more or less similar, but in T. paniculatum, the ray cells reduce in size from the peripheral region to the centre.

A human physiologically-based bio-kinetic model for uranium

D.D. Maza — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Uranium is a naturally occurring element that humans are continuously exposed to at low levels due to its pervasive presence in the environment. However, elevated exposure can pose significant health risks. Daily exposure occurs through inhaling contaminated air, ingesting uranium-contaminated food or water, and dermal contact. Once absorbed, uranium enters the bloodstream and is distributed to various organs. Traditional pharmacokinetic models, employing a compartmental approach, have been widely used to study the distribution and toxicity of absorbed uranium. This study developed a physiologically based biokinetic (PBBK) model using Python programming to simulate the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) of uranium in humans. Unlike traditional models, this approach utilizes organ-specific blood flow rates and partition coefficients for better physiological realism. The model incorporates 17 compartments, including 15 critical organs and 2 dummy compartments. Permeability rate-limited kinetics were applied to bone compartments (cortical and trabecular), while perfusion rate-limited kinetics were assumed for soft tissues such as the liver, kidneys, and gut. Simulations of fractional uranium retention in infants, children (ages 5, 10, and 15), and adults following intravenous injection show reasonable agreement with previous studies using compartmental models, particularly in predicting skeletal retention, which increases with age due to bone mineralization. For chronic oral ingestion scenarios, the model reliably reproduces observed uranium retention patterns, demonstrating its robustness across different exposure routes.

Physico-chemical water quality assessment of two rivers in Ogun State, Nigeria

H.Y. Omoboye, A.I. Aduwo — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the River Afa and River Owo's water quality in order to gather information that may be used in the near future to formulate control strategies. Water samples were collected from two sites (upstream and downstream) on the River Afa and from four stations located along the course of River Owo to covered both rainy and dry seasons. Twenty-two (22) important parameters were selected for physico-chemical water quality analysis. Samples collected were analysed using appropriate standard techniques. Generally, pH, TDS, alkalinity, acidity, hardness, and EC recorded higher mean values in River Afa than River Owo. However, Organic matter (OM) and total organic carbon (TOC) recorded higher mean values in River Owo. Nitrate and sulphate had higher mean values in River Afa compared with River Owo. The results were compared to World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ). As a result, most of the parameters examined were below the recommended safe drinking water threshold. However, the turbidity and surface water temperature were above WHO and NSDWQ standards. Comparison of data obtained between water quality parameters was made using cluster analysis at P≤0.05 and this revealed significant relationship among the parameters measured. The majority of the water quality parameters that were monitored in this study showed higher values in River Afa than in River Owo. Also, results of te monitored water quality parameters showed that both River Afa and River Owo water may pose danger to health if consumed untreated and requires further purification process to prevent imminent water-related diseases befallen the residents of the area.

The levels of some heavy metals in fresh cow milk obtained from ranched and unranched cows from Yola Area, Adamawa State

I.M. Nzeh, J.B. Hussein, S.D. Allison, M.A. Usman — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The analysis of the residual contents of heavy and toxic metals in foodstuffs, especially milk, could be an important indicator of the safety, quality, and level of pollution in the region in which the milk was produced. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to assess the occurrence of some selected heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Cr, Cu, Co, Fe, and Zn) in fresh cow milk obtained from ranched and unranched cows from Yola North, Adamawa State. Fifty healthy lactating cows were randomly selected from ranched and unranched locations in a designated region. Veterinary professionals were called to help verify the health status of the animals. Samples were kept cool and assigned codes to prevent spoilage during transit to a central laboratory. After the samples were prepared and worked on in the laboratory. The atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure the amount of metal present after the wet digestion of the sample with acid. The ranges of the heavy metals' concentrations (Ni, Zn, Fe, Cr, Mn, and Cd) in the milk samples from the three locations were 0.13–0.91, 0.73–2.20, 0.20–0.70, 0.10–0.75, 0.10–0.55, and 0.004–0.042 mg/L, respectively. Co was not detected in the cow's milk from any of the three locations. The study found that the cows raised on ranches produced milk with reduced levels of heavy metals compared to those not raised on ranches. Thus, improving milk safety and preserving public health requires the adoption of controlled feeding systems and the monitoring of environmental variables.

Investigating the potential of fluorinated hydrazide and hydrazones as inhibitors of COVID-19 main protease using molecular docking and DFT calculations

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The enhanced biological activity of fluorine-containing compounds has led to their exploration as possible drug candidates against viral diseases. In this study, fluorine-containing hydrazide and hydrazones derived from 1- cyclopropyl-6,7-difluoro-8-methoxy-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid were investigated for their potential as drug candidates against COVID-19 via computational methods comprising DFT studies, molecular docking, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analysis. The electronic properties of the compounds were computed using DFT analysis, with the energy gap of the compounds ranging from 3.77 eV for FHI to 4.57 eV for FHA. The chemical hardness ranged from 1.89 eV for FHI to 2.04 for FHA, and electrophilicity index values ranged from 3.16 for FHD to 3.65 for FHJ, depicting the electrophilic nature of all the compounds. The docking results showed that the fluorinated hydrazide and hydrazones exhibited moderate binding energies, higher than those of chloroquine but lower than the binding energy of remdesivir, frontline drugs used in dealing with COVID-19. Using Discovery Studio, visualizations revealed that hydrogen bonding, alkyl interaction, pi-sulphur interaction, halogen interaction, carbon-hydrogen interaction, and Pi-Donor hydrogen interaction were responsible for the binding energy values. The ADMET test showed that all the compounds could serve as potential inhibitors of COVID-19 as they adhere to Lipinski and Veber's rules.

Ethnobotanical plants used for fertility control and delivery enhancement among Akoko and Ose Aborigines in Ondo State, Nigeria

B.M. Oluwajuyigbe, O.E. Ige — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The aboriginal people in parts of Akoko and Ose areas of Ondo State have dialectical convergence, which is a peculiar greeting known as ''HAO''. The people revel in their knowledge of herbal medicine and efficacy of herbs especially for fertility, pregnancy controls and delivery enhancement processes. In the developed countries, fertility control and ease of childbirth are controlled through orthodox practice, while in the developing countries, traditional methods are sometimes adopted. On this basis, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the HAO people, to identify and document medicinal plants used for fertility control and delivery enhancement processes. Traditional medical practitioners, traditional birth attendants, herb sellers, traders, and farmers in the respective Local Governments were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. A sample size of 300 respondents was randomly selected. The questionnaire considered the local plants' names, common names, species, families, plants parts used, and methods of preparation and administration. Data obtained were processed and subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences (p< 0.05) among species occurrence and location for both fertility control and delivery enhancement processes. Occurrence of species for fertility control and delivery enhancement processes ranged from the lowest in Citrus sinensis (0.67) and Acanthus montanus (0.67), to the highest in Sida acuta (13.33) and Carica papaya (7.33) respectively. The results also revealed that 27 plant species belonging to 19 families were responsible for delivery enhancement processes, while 20 plant species belonging to 15 families were responsible for fertility control. Four (4) species of Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae were responsible for delivery enhancement processes and fertility control. Since ethno-medicines are affordable, accessible and available to all, it is therefore recommended that there should be experimental validation of efficacy, establishment of effective dosage and prompt revitalization strategy to protect indigenous knowledge from complete desertion.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals and radionuclides in waste and soil near scrap smelting industries in Ile-Ife and Ikirun, Nigeria

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The smelting plants facilitate the recycling of metal wastes as well as a secondary source for metal production. Nevertheless, the wastes from such plants may present routes of heavy metal and radionuclide contamination in the environment. Soil and waste samples from iron smelting industries in Ikirun and Ile-Ife, Osun State were analysed for heavy metal and radionuclide concentrations using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and Gamma Spectrometer, respectively. The concentration of the heavy metals in the soil samples ranged from Not Detectable (ND) for Cd and Pb to 110 mg/kg in Cu and ND for Cd to 812 mg/kg for Cu in the waste samples. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides ranged from 3 Bqkg^-1 for U-238 in the waste to 1056 Bqkg^-1 for K-40 in the soil samples. The contamination load, degree of contamination, pollution load index and environmental risk factor ranged from 0 to 45, 2 to 105, 0.3 to 12 and 3 to 1640, respectively in the soil and waste samples. The results for the pollution indices showed that the waste samples were more contaminated than the soil samples. Thus, there might be future contamination of the environment with heavy metals as a result of the leaching of accumulated heavy metals from the waste. Though the concentrations of all the heavy metals, except Cu, were below the highest set by the Finnish Legislation for contaminated soil. The radium equivalent showed that the smelting activities poses no radiological risk to the workers and the environment since the results of the radium equivalent were less than 370 Bqkg^-1 .

Physico-chemical analysis and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from storage tanks water in a tertiary institution in Nigeria

H.Y. Omoboye, F.N. Nwamah — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The physicochemical parameters and antibiotic susceptibility profile of Gram-negative bacteria in storage tanks water samples were studied. The pH was measured with pH meter and Temperature using mercury-in-glass thermometer. The measurements of Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) in water samples were done using a Bantec-510 Electrical Conductivity meter, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) were tested using DO meter. Alkalinity and Acidity were measured using titrimetric method. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated by spread plate method and identified by cultural, morphological and biochemical characterization. Susceptibility of isolates to antibiotics was determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Temperature of the water samples ranged from 24.0 - 27.5^oC with an average value of 27.7^oC. The pH value ranged between 5.7 and 9.4. Conductivity values ranged between 20.2 and 39.2 µS/cm respectively. DO values ranged from 0.8 to 1.9 mg/mL across the water samples. The BOD and TDS values ranged from 0.2 - 0.4 mg/mL and 18.3 – 30.2 mg/mL, respectively. Six (6) Gram negative bacteria were recovered and identified from the water samples. The frequency and percentage occurrence of the bacteria include Enterobacter intermedius {2(33%)}, Salmonella bongori {1(16.67%)}, Klebsiella pneumoniae {1(16.67%)}, Citrobacter diversus {1(16.67%)}, and Klebsiella sp. {1(16.67%)}. Antibiotic susceptibility greatly varied among the bacterial isolates as all displayed total sensitivity to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin, but were resistant to chloramphenicol. All the bacteria were sensitive to cefuroxime and cefotaxime except Klebsiella species. The isolates showed varying resistance against meropenem and ceftazidime. Five (83.33%) of the bacteria were multiple antibiotic-resistant types with multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) values greater than 0.2. and exhibited various MAR patterns. In conclusion, some of the physicochemical parameters analyzed fall within the permissible limit recommended for drinking water. However, the presence of multiple antibiotic resistant Gram negative - bacteria in the water samples analyzed may constitute health hazards in humans.

Evaluation of the overburden protective capacity of aquifer-aquitard systems in Agbara town, southwestern Nigeria using electrical resistivity techniques

O.B. Olatinsu, M.O. Ogieva, A.A. Ige-Adeyey — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study utilized electrical resistivity techniques to assess the protective capacity of overburden materials within Agbara industrial area in southwestern Nigeria. Forty vertical electrical sounding (VES) stations and six 2- D traverses were occupied using Schlumberger and Wenner configurations, respectively. Both techniques suggest the existence of a multi-layered aquifer-aquitard systems, characterized by a lithological sequence presumably composed of sand and clayey sand, of moderate resistivity, alongside clay of low resistivity and high-resistivity hard clay. At most locations, thin unconfined phreatic sand or clayey sand aquifers were identified at shallow depths less than 5 m. Seasonal variations in groundwater volume and quality usually render phreatic aquifers unsuitable for long-term sustainable groundwater development. Much deeper sand/clayey sand aquifers (5.0 - 68.0 m) were identified at seventy percent of the surveyed locations. At twenty VES stations, impermeable subsurface zones were delineated: clay layers with resistivity in the range 29 - 71 Ωm and thickness range of 2.5 -10.0 m and hard clay medium with resistivity range of 818 - 2557 Ωm and thickness range 1.4 - 52.4 m. Clay materials are common aquitard which act as lithological barriers since they can impede the movement of contaminants into groundwater. In contrast, if the clay is hard, compacted, and consolidated, cracks can quickly allow water and dissolved pollutants to enter aquifer systems. Computed values of overburden protective capacity (longitudinal conductance) portrayed significant variations with twenty-seven (67.5%) locations showing poor ratings (0.0027 - 0.0813 S); nine locations (22.5%) exhibiting weak ratings (0.1044 - 0.1824 S); and only four (10%) indicating moderate ratings (0.348 - 0.472 S). Moderate to very high overburden transverse resistance (filtration coefficient) values (544 - 81105 Ωm²) also support these ratings. The findings indicate that the aquifers in these areas are vulnerable to contamination, which should be a critical concern in groundwater projects in this area.

Projected ecosystem service dynamics: A predictive model for assessing changes in ecosystem service values in Lagos coastal zones

T.B. Adedoja, S.A. Adegboyega, A.M. Fakpor — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Global human activities are placing unprecedented pressures on ecosystems, particularly in vulnerable coastal areas, where the degradation of crucial ecosystem services threatens both environmental sustainability and the socio-economic security of local communities. This study aims to inform sustainable land use planning, coastal management strategies, and conservation policies to safeguard the long-term resilience of Lagos vulnerable coastal ecosystems. To achieve this, the research employs artificial neural networks and Landsat imagery spanning three decades (2003–2023), combined with the value transfer method, to project the future dynamics and economic implications of ecosystem services in Lagos' coastal zones by 2050. Findings reveal a significant overall decline in total ecosystem service value, amounting to $2,971.60 million, with a net loss of $835.34 million (₦65.84 billion). Wetlands experienced the most dramatic decline, losing $1,141.26 million (₦1.87 trillion), underscoring the heavy economic cost of environmental degradation. Conversely, freshwater swamps experienced the most significant gain, increasing by $499.66 million (₦817.29 billion), highlighting their growing role in sustaining ecosystem value. These Findings emphasize the critical economic importance of maintaining ecosystem services, as their degradation carries severe financial implications for livelihoods, biodiversity, and long-term coastal resilience. By providing a predictive framework, this research offers valuable insights for decision-makers and policymakers, enabling proactive strategies to mitigate further ecosystem losses. The approach can be adapted to other rapidly urbanizing coastal regions facing similar environmental and economic challenges.

Electrochemical investigation of flower-like sodium cobalt phosphate-based materials and activated carbon derived from cocoa pod husks as potential electrode for asymmetric supercapacitor

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study presents a hydrothermal synthesis of a flower-like sodium cobalt phosphate (Co₃H₁₈Na₄P₄₁O₂₄) material, both in pristine form and as composites with varying masses of graphene foam (GF). The electrochemical performance of these materials is thoroughly investigated, with Co₃H₁₈Na₄P₄₁O₂₄/10mg GF showing the best specific capacity (52mAh g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 in 1 M KOH). The kinetic analysis using Dunn's approach indicates that the material's charge storage is predominantly diffusion-controlled (76%). Furthermore, activated carbon derived from cocoa pod husks exhibits promising capacitive performance (148 F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1). When assembled into a full asymmetric device (Co₃H₁₈Na₄P₄₁O₂₄/10mg GF as the positive electrode and cocoa pod husk-derived activated carbon as the negative electrode), the device achieves a specific capacity of 23 mAh g^-1, an energy density of 18 W h kg^-1, and a power density of 0.3996 kW kg^-1. Notably, it retains 97.8% of its capacity over 10,000 cycles at 10 A g^-1, demonstrating excellent stability. This work highlights the potential of Co₃H₁₈Na₄P₄₁O₂₄/10 mg GF composites in energy storage applications, particularly in high-performance supercapacitors.

Effect of seed weight and light on in vitro germination of Afzelia africana Sm. ex pers

E.R. Ogbimi, B. Omisope — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The micropropagation potential of Afzelia africana; a threatened multipurpose tree plant was investigated in this study with the aim to determine the effect of seed weight on its in vitro germination as well as the impact of light and dark photoperiod on the seed germination. Murashige and Skoog (MS) 1962 media was used for this study. Five categories of seed weight were used 3.3 – 3.7 g (Wt1), 2.8 – 3.2 g (Wt2), 2.3 – 2.7 g (Wt3), 1.8 – 2.2g (Wt4) and 1.3 – 1.7g (Wt5). The seeds were cultured on MS media after disinfection with H₂SO₄ for 30 minutes followed by soaking in distilled water for 120 minutes. Cultured seeds were then kept in the incubator at a temperature of 25 ± 2^oC and 16/8-hour photoperiod and under complete dark condition. Observable physiological responses of seed coat break (SB), root emergence (RE), cotyledon opening (Cop), shoot emergence (SE), and plant height (PH) of cultured seedlings were recorded after 4 weeks. Morphological data including the ratio of epicotyl to hypocotyl was also documented. Using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), seed weight had no significant effect on SB, RE and SE, however, it had significant effect on CoP as a seeds with the highest weight Wt1 had their cotyledons opening earlier (14.50±0.50^a ) compared to seeds with the lowest weight Wt5 (16.50±0.50^b ). Also, LN of Wt1 was significantly higher than LN in other seed weights, while with PH, Wt1 (14.86±0.24^a ) was significantly higher than Wt4 (12.86±0.43^b ) and Wt5 (10.16±0.19^c) at P<0.05. The seed weight of Afzelia africana has effect on its in vitro germination parameters, thus to produce vigorous seedlings of significant leaf numbers and plant height, seeds with weight range of 3.3 – 3.7 g should be cultured and to produce higher height seedlings, the seeds should be grown first under total darkness and transferred to light photoperiod of 16/8 hours.

Numerical integration of nonlinear FitzHugh-Nagumo Partial Differential Equations using second derivative two-step hybrid algorithm

B.I. Akinnukawe, E.M. Atteh — Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This manuscript presents a second derivative two-step hybrid block method derived through collocation techniques. The derived scheme and the sixth order compact difference schemes are used to efficiently solve the nonlinear FitzHugh-Nagumo Partial Differential Equations (PDE). The sixth order standard compact difference schemes are used to semi-discretize the nonlinear FitzHugh PDE to a first-order system of ordinary differential equations (ODE). The derived two-step hybrid block scheme profer approximate solution to the resulting system of ODEs. The analysis of the derived hybrid methods are shown. The numerical results reveal that the derived block scheme is efficient and effective for solving FitzHugh-Nagumo PDE.

AMS Subject Classification: 65M06, 65N35, 35F50

Evidence of zero Onchocerca volvulus infectivity among populations living in first-line communities to the Arinta and Erin-Ijesha waterfalls, Southwest Nigeria

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Recent breeding site assessments of rivers revealed that blackflies are actively biting at the Erin-Ijesha and Arinta waterfalls in Southwest Nigeria, predisposing nearby first-line communities to heightened risk of onchocerciasis transmission. This observation necessitated an evaluation of onchocerciasis transmission in nearby sentinel communities to determine the prevalence of Onchocerca volvulus infectivity and determine whether current treatment strategies should be modified or intensified. The cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2024 and November 2024 in Ipole-Iloro and Erin-Ijesha, first-line communities nearest to the Arinta and Erin-Ijesha waterfall respectively. Following the established gold standard technique for monitoring and evaluating onchocerciasis, skin snips were collected from the right and left iliac crests of 236 individuals aged 10 years and above and are residents of the communities for more than 5 years. Onchocerca infectivity was assessed using microscopy and the O-150 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. Results from both microscopy and PCR assay showed that all skin snips were negative for O. volvulus parasite, indicating no active transmission. Given the high-risk status of these communities, these findings suggest the possible absence of ongoing transmission and further highlights the effectiveness of ongoing mass drug administration (MDA) in driving the elimination of onchocerciasis.

Phytoextraction of cadmium by Pteris vittata L. and Pteris ensiformis burm. f. (ferns) grown on cadmium contaminated soil in Obafemi Awolowo Universirty, Ile-Ife

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cadmium pollution is increasingly becoming a major world problem. Therefore, this study investigated the potentials of Pteris ensiformis and Pteris vittata in phytoextracting cadmium (Cd) in the Cd contaminated soil. The two studied species were collected from fern garden at the Natural History Museum on Obafemi Awolowo University campus, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The treatments used were; CT: control plants that were not exposed to Cd contamination, A: plants cultivated on soil contaminated with 50 ppm, B: 100 ppm, C: 150 ppm, and D: 200 ppm of Cd. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), transfer factor (TF) and impacts on growth and biomass indices of roots and fronds were determined to assess and compare the phytoextraction potentials of the two plants. The study revealed that, Cd concentrations significantly affected the growth and biomass parameters with the effects being less significant on Pteris vittata compared to that of P. ensiformis. The BAF and TF increased with increasing levels of cadmium concentrations in the plants. P. vittata and P. ensiformis had BAF and TF values less than one which implies that they did not effectively accumulate Cd from the soil. P. vittata had higher BAF and TF which indicates it accumulated more Cd than P. ensiformis. Therefore, P. vittata has better Cd phytoextraction potentials than P. ensiformis.