Currently, available drugs for the management of pains, fever and inflammation conditions presents with it many known adverse effects, hence the search for new drugs from plants which hitherto may be harmless to humans. To this end, Microtrichia perotitii (Asteraceae) was screened for its phyto contents and analgesic properties using hotplate method with mice. The result of the preliminary Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, carbohydrates and phenolics in the plant as a whole. The analgesic study showed that the aqueous extract of the leaves have significant activity (P<0.05; P<0.001) as compared to morphine sulphate (10 mg/kg) used as a standard drug. The result indicated dose-independed activity. Tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and saponins have been reported to be responsible for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities in many medicinal plants of this family. These results may explain the use of the plant for the management of pains and its related ailments in the locality where it is very common.

Burkitt's lymphoma is the most common childhood ovarian tumour in Zaria, northern Nigeria.

Purpose – This paper aims to develop a multivariate model that will be applicable to the Nigeria construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – A self-administered questionnaire survey was used to source information on project scope factors and qualitative factors considered in the study. Principal component regression was used for data analysis and model development, using SPSS 16.0 for windows, while T-test was used for model testing and validation. Findings – The study found that delay in progress payment by owner, lateness in revising and approving design document by owner, delay in delivering the site to the contractor by the owner, change order by owner during construction, complexity of project design, poor site management and supervision by contractors, and rain effect on construction activities are qualitative/non-project scope factors with good predictive abilities. Research limitations/implications – Cost, gross floor area and number of floors were the only quantitative/project scope factors considered in the study. The developed models therefore do not account for any variation in duration which may arise from other project scope factors, such as location, procurement route and type of contract. Originality/value – The qualitative factors which emerged as predictors in the derived models increased the accuracy of the models. The models developed therefore serve as useful construction time prediction tools for both consultancy firms and contractor organizations in the Nigerian construction industry.

Recently, attention has been given to nanocellulose produced by bacteria due to its unique properties and environmentally friendly nature when compared with plant cellulose. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) producing isolate was successfully isolated from rotten fruits via dilution and spread plates method. Based on the biochemical characterisation and molecular analysis of the 16S rDNA gene, the isolate was identified as Gluconacetobacter xylinus BCMZ sp. Nanocellulose productivity was confirmed by the formation of the white gelatinous layer between air/liquid surfaces when the culture was cultivated under a stationary condition at 30°C. Successful purification of nanocellulose was achieved using alkaline treatment method. The Fourier transformed infrared spectrum showed a characteristics band signature of pure nanocellulose, by displaying strong absorption peaks at 3335.36 and 2901.40 cm −1 representing carbonyl and carbon-hydrogen bonding, respectively. Morphological characteristics of the BNC were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Elemental analysis of BNC was determined by energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis. The isolates BCZM showed significant nanocellulose production ability with a high degree of purity when compared with plant nanocellulose. BNC purification using 1 M NaOH solution is effective and eco-friendly with no indication of recalcitrant formation as commonly found in plant nanocellulose purification steps.

Addressing environmental degradation and ensuring environmental sustainability are inextricably linked to all methods of reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the environment. A packed column air stripper is a typical example of such technologies for the removal of VOCs from polluted water. The present review is devoted to the applications of a packed column air stripper and, in comparison with previous reviews, presents further elaborations and new information on topics such as modeling and simulation of the dynamic behavior of the air stripping process in a packed column air stripper. The paper observed that a knowledge gap still exists in the synthesis of this knowledge to formulate practically applicable mathematical relationships to describe the process generally. Therefore, further researches are still required in the area of air stripper performance optimization, particularly in the development of a mathematical model and the optimization of an air stripper using a statistical experimental design method. Such a determination is critical to the understanding of the interactive effect of process variables such as temperature, air-to-water (A/W) ratio, and height of packing on air stripper performance.