Access to clean water by all is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve this, there is need to prepare sustainable materials for efficient water purification. This research aims to immobilize the Polyoxomatelate-Ionic Liquid (POM-IL), {[CH3(CH2)6]4N}7[α-PW11O39] on nanoporous carbon (NC) prepared from coconut shell to form an advanced material (POM-IL@NC) for effective removal of multiple contaminants from polluted water. The POM-IL@NC material was characterized by Fourier Transform-Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The material was then tested respectively for the removal of copper and lead using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and methylene blue using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy from simulated polluted waters via adsorption. The material was further subjected to antimicrobial analysis. The results showed that the POM-IL@NC material performed better than the pristine NC in the removal of copper, lead and methylene blue from the contaminated water. The POM-IL@NC also exhibited significant improvement in antimicrobial activity than NC against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This shows that the new material could effectively be applied for multiple contaminants treatment of polluted water.

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The study examined the effect of feeding albino rats with 25, 50, and 75% Palmyrah Palm (Borassus aethiopum) shoots with respect to their body weight, liver and kidney function indices. Standard methods of biochemical analyses were employed using albino rats as the experimental animals. No mortality was observed in the LD 50 test throughout the period of 48 h. Rats fed with 25 and 50% B. aethiopum shoots showed a gradual increase in the body weight throughout the period of treatment, but those fed with 75% of the shoots experienced a significant (p>0.05) decrease in body weight at the 3rd and 4th week of treatment compared to the control group. The results also showed changes in the serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose and bilirubin but were not significantly different (p>0.05) compared to the control group. The serum enzymes activities that is aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (p>0.05) elevated compared to the control group which suggested toxicity induced by some of the phytocompounds present in the feed. Serum creatinine, urea, uric acid, and electrolytes (Na + , K + ) of rats fed with 75% B. aethiopum shoots showed significant (p>0.05) changes compared to the control group. The results showed that B. aethiopum shoots have a relatively low or no toxicity.

Introduction: Fungal infection is a common manifestation in this part of the country and worldwide. It is essential to define the epidemiology of fungal infection in a particular environment. Aim: This study aims to analyze the diagnosis of fungal infection carried out in patients attending the histopathology department (UDUTH) Sokoto from 2014 to 2018. Method: This study is a retrospective study of all fungal infection biopsies carried out from 2014 – 2019 in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria, a referral centre for the neighbouring northern states Kebbi and Zamfara. Ethical clearance was obtained from the ethical committee of UDUTH, data was collected from histological report cards and analyze manually. Some tissue blocks of the case were retrieved to confirm the diagnosis. A total of 66 requests for fungal diagnosis were received from January 2014 to December 2018, which represent about 0.7% of the total biopsies received over the study period. Result: Out of the 66 of request for fungal diagnosis 32(48.5%) were fungal positive. Subcutaneous mycosis was the most frequent fungal infection with a frequency of 18(56.25%). Males were more frequently affected than females with the frequencies of 18(56.25%) and 14 (43.75%) respectively.

Introduction: Histological stains are biological dyes which colour tissue in order to aid optical differentiation of tissue component. Dyes are coloured substance which impact colour for material such as textile, cosmetic, food, drugs, rubber plastics, hair, fur and tissues. There are two types of dyes namely; natural dyes and synthetic dyes. Allium cepa is an imperative, evergreen plant, which belongs to the family Amaryllidaceace commonly called bulb onion. Aim: This research work aimed at evaluating the staining capability of onion extract as counter stain when haematoxylin was used as primary stain. Methods: Tissue blocks sections of liver and kidney organs were made from the Wistar rat. Serial sections labelled A to M were made from each block and stained with Harris haematoxylin. Section A was counterstained with eosin, as control. Different preparations of extracts of the onion skin were used to counter stain sections of kidney and liver tissues. Group B to Mwere kidney and liver tissues stained as follows: B, E, H and K (5% aqueous and ethanolic extract with ferric chloride, 5% aqueous and ethanolic extract with potassium aluminium alum, and 5% aqueous and ethanolic extract without mordant, for 10 and 20 minutes). C, D, F, G, I, J, L and M (5% aqueous and ethanolic extract with ferric chloride, 5% aqueous and ethanolic extract with potassium aluminium alum and 5% aqueous and ethanolic extract without mordant for 10 and 20 minutes). Results: The skin extract of Allium cepa stained the cytoplasm of cells and connective tissues in shades of reddish brown to yellowish brown. The study established the cytoplasmic counter-staining ability of the extract of Allium cepa. Conclusion: It is therefore suggested that onion skin extract solution can be substituted for eosin due to its domestic availability, ease of preparation and above all, its good cytoplasm contrast with the nuclear stain.