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The research investigates the stability, phase transition and structural parameters of zinc sulfide (Zinc blende, Rock salt and Wurtzite) using first-principle. The study employs generalized gradient approximation (GGA) within density functional theory (DFT) in which ultra-soft pseudopotential (Zn.pbe-van.UPFb and S.pbe-van_bm.UPFc ) were used for both zinc and sulfide respectively. Self-consistent calculation was made using cut-off energies of 26Ry (~350 eV) and 180 Ry (~2450eV) for the cut-off wave function within the convergence accuracy of ~1mRy with respect to total energy and 0.5kbar in case of pressure. The results obtained show that Wurtzite is more stable because it has lowest energy among the three structures, there is transition from zinc blende to rock salt and from Wurtzite to rock salt with transition pressures of 17.5GPa and 16.9GPa respectively and all the three polymorphs are semi-conductors due to their band gap.

Aim: To synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Azadirachta indica leaf extract and determine its effect on membrane stability. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Sokoto State University, Sokoto, Nigeria, between January 2021 and April 2021. Methodology: Simple characterization using uv-vis spectroscopy was conducted and the well-known method for osmotic fragility was employed. Results: Surface plasmon excitation for conversion of Ag+ to AgNPs was successfully achieved at 320 nm. The result revealed increase in membrane stability with 67.50 % for sickle erythrocyte (HbSS), 33.33 % for carrier erythrocyte (HbAS) and 23.33 % for normal erythrocyte (HbAA); thereby decreasing the erythrocyte lysis in the order of HbSS>HbAS>HbAA. Conclusion: AgNPs synthesized from A. indica reduces osmotic fragility and hence increases membrane stabilizing potential particularly against sickle erythrocyte.

Aim: To evaluate the protein composition in the ginger rhizome and its interaction with glucose molecule. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Sokoto State University, Sokoto, Nigeria, between April 2021 and May 2021. Methodology: Protein was extracted from the rhizome of ginger using 0.1 M phosphate buffer. The protein concentration of the sample was estimated using Biuret method while using xanthoproteic test, the presence of aromatic amino acids was ascertained. The crude protein sample was interacted with glucose using UV interaction study. Results: The protein concentration of the sample (2 g) was found to be 1.702 mg/ml, it was identified that ginger rhizome contains aromatic amino acids. UV interaction study between the crude protein sample and glucose molecule showed an increase in absorbance at the range of 280 nm. Conclusion: The interaction of ginger with glucose shows that it possesses a hypoglycemic effect.