Emem Okon Mbong

This study investigates the seasonal variations in meteorological parameters and atmospheric oxides within and around Eket wetlands and their environmental and public health implications. Meteorological parameter including air temperature and relative humidity were analyzed to established correlation with concentration of atmospheric oxides such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM₁₀). Results indicate significant (P<0.05) seasonal fluctuations, with higher pollutant levels recorded during the dry season due to lower humidity and increased atmospheric stability. During the dry season, NO₂, SO₂, CO, and PM₁₀ concentrations averaged 45.2 µg/m³, 32.8 µg/m³, 5.6 mg/m³, and 78.3 µg/m³, respectively, while in the wet season, these values reduced to 28.5 µg/m³, 21.4 µg/m³, 3.2 mg/m³, and 54.6 µg/m³. Correlation analysis reveals strong positive relationships between NO₂ and SO₂ (r = 0.9409) and PM₂.₅ and CO (r = 0.8234), while relative humidity negatively correlates with all pollutants, emphasizing its role in pollutant dispersion. The findings highlight severe air quality deterioration, particularly in urbanized locations, with public health risks such as respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and increased hospital admissions. The study underscores the need for stringent air quality management strategies, including emission control regulations, industrial air monitoring, wetland conservation, and public awareness campaigns to mitigate pollution-related health and environmental impacts.

Study of variations in plants has been identified as one successful strategy for obtaining cultivars with superior features for breeding, improvement and conservation purposes. In situ analysis of morphological variation of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Nees found in three states of Southern Nigeria was carried out using qualitative and quantitative morphological markers. Morphological traits studied included features of the stem, leaf, inflorescence, flower, fruit and seed. Qualitatively, accessions from Rivers State differed from those in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in that the former had green stems, dark green leaves and light green unripe fruits. Of the fourteen quantitative morphological features studied, significant differences (p < 0.05) were recorded for five features (stem height, number of leaves per plant, number of fruits per plant, day to first flower and harvest age). Cluster analysis based on the quantitative morphological attributes produced a dendrogram which regrouped the twenty one accessions into three distinct cluster groupings indicating strong species intersections with higher similarities between Cross River and Akwa Ibom States compared to those obtained from Rivers State. Generally, this technique imprinted more or less overlapping semblances in species assortment to discrete cluster groups unrelated to locations thus implicating a continuum in persistent genetic components trivially swayed by location-based environmental influences. This observation lends credence to the fields of genetics, plant breeding and taxonomy.

Rationale: A wide range of bioactive phytoconstituents from edible fungi, especially therapeutic mushrooms, have the potential to improve health, especially in the case of chronic illnesses. Known for its anti-cancer qualities, ganoderma lucidum has been the focus of multiple clinical studies. Existing systematic reviews imply that more clinical research and methodological refinement are necessary to support its usage as a primary cancer treatment.Objective: The objective of this research is to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of the bioactive phytoconstituents found in mushrooms, specifically Ganoderma lucidum, in a thorough manner. The aim is to conduct a critical assessment of the extant literature, pinpoint any deficiencies, and offer valuable perspectives on the methodological excellence and research requirements in this domain.Method(s): A thorough analysis of published clinical trials was carried out, with a focus on studies that examined the effectiveness of Ganoderma lucidum and other products derived from mushrooms in treating cancer. The study's design, stated results, and methodological rigor were all carefully examined to evaluate the validity and reliability of the conclusions.Results: Despite Ganoderma lucidum's potential against cancer, the evaluation finds insufficient data to support its widespread usage as a primary cancer treatment. Products made from mushrooms, which are frequently sold as dietary supplements, have anti-cancer claims. But since pre-approval is not required under US regulatory framework in order to market food supplements, these statements raise questions regarding their scientific validity.Conclusions/Recommendations: The study's result emphasizes the necessity of more methodological advancement in clinical studies examining Ganoderma lucidum's potential as an anti-cancer agent. It also highlights the significance of thorough scientific validation for goods made from mushrooms that make health claims. To establish accurate claims regarding their anti-cancer effects, recommendations include developing technological methods for the purification of bioactive substances and undertaking thorough studies of mushroom products from different geographical regions. The goal of this thorough analysis is to direct future investigations and support the ethical promotion and use of products derived from mushrooms for medical purposes.

Pteridophytes and lycophytes from Osomba Hills, a biodiversity hotspot in Nigeria, were collected using a transect method. Floristic sampling was done in six 100 m transects and elevation range of 170 m – 405 m above sea level where each transect consisted of five 10 m × 10 m quadrats spaced 10 m apart. Fieldwork was performed during the dry (February) and wet seasons (July) in 2022. F ifty species from 22 genera in the nine families Adiantaceae, Aspleniaceae, Cyatheaceae, Dennstaedtiaceae, Hymenophylaceae, Polypodiaceae, Pteridaceae, Schizaeaceae and Selaginellaceae were recorded. The lycophytes were represented by only one family, the Selaginellaceae, while the remaining eight families are pteridophytes. The family with the highest number of species was Polypodiaceae (21), while Cyatheaceae and Schizaeaceae recorded only 1 species each. Nine species were collected only in the dry season while 20 species were collected during the wet season. The remaining 21 species were identified in both dry and wet seasons. T he tree fern Alsophila camerooniana (Hook.) R. M. Tryon and the three species of Hymenophyllaceae were limited in range of occurrence. The diversity of these ferns was significant (P<0.05) within Osomba Hill. This variance was typified along latitudinal and temporal scales. The conservation status of 47 species were categorized as ‘Not Evaluated’. A comprehensive evaluation of the conservation status of these plants is recommended to enable the implementation of an appropriate conservation strategy by the management of the park.

This study evaluated the influence of organic fertilizers produced from spent lubricating oil (SLO) spiked aerobic composting technique on hydrocarbon degradation rate in soils. The compost windrows (Ft₂ and Ft₄), consisting of kitchen and agricultural wastes, were spiked with varying concentrations (2% and 4%) of SLO. The resultant organic fertilizers were employed as amendment in pollution simulated potted soils laid out in a complete randomized block design with three replications for 90 days. Results revealed higher counts of hydrocarbon utilizing microbes (HUB: 4.2±0.02×10⁴cfu/g in Ft₂, 3.0±0.02×10⁴cfu/g in Ft₄; HUF: 3.9±0.2×10⁴cfu/g in Ft₂, 2.5±0.02×10⁴cfu/g in Ft₄) in spiked compost compared to the control, Ft₀ (HUB: 7.9±0.02×10³cfu/g; HUF: 6.0±0.2×10³cfu/g). Mean count in amended soils reflected a dose-dependent increase which followed the trend: Ft₂ ˃ Ft₀ ˃ Ft₄ for the 5% (3.7×10⁸ cfu/g), 10% (9.2×10⁷ cfu/g) and 15% (6.9×10⁷ cfu/g) levels of fertilizer treatments respectively. There was a significant (P2 ˃ Ft₀ ˃ Ft₄, with the highest (11.51%) achieved at 5% Ft₂ application. Spiking technique was responsible for the higher counts of hydrocarbon utilizing microbes and enhanced bioremediation associated with the use of fertilizers Ft₂.