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FUTOSpace is the Federal University of Technology, Owerri open-access repository that collects, preserves and make available in digital format the intellectual output of the university's community:
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- This community features addresses and speeches delivered by the University management and other official visitors to FUTO
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- This community features books, book chapters and books published by faculty members in the university
- This Community features the proceedings of conferences, seminars and workshops hosted by the FUTO or other bodies but had staff from FUTO attending and making presentations
- This community features research articles from FUTO staff published in journals hosted by FUTO
- A community of series of scholarly public lectures designed to commemorate a faculty member's appointment to a professorship
- Scholarly resources with relevant discussion points for use by faculty as teaching lectures, student reading content, and study guides
- A community of printed document containing information about activities in FUTO
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- A community of question(s) administered to FUTO students in an examination
- Published Research Outputs
- Theses and dissertations by students and staff from all the Schools in FUTO
Recent Submissions
23rd Convocation Ceremony
(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2011-03-05) Onyemachi, Elechi
26th/27th Convocation Ceremony
(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2014-12-12) Shekaramu, Angyu Masa Ibi
Characterization of the aquifer systems in the coastal areas of Niger Delta using gamma ray and electronic logs
(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-07) Okoro, Felibens Edeheri
Gamma ray and electric logs obtained within the coastal areas of Niger Delta were utilized to characterize the aquifer systems in the area with the view to, among other things, isolate fresh water and contaminated aquifers as well as providing pragmatic results and a new lens for individuals and agencies to view the ever-increasing pursuit of groundwater development initiatives in the area. Sixty-two (62) wells and their accompanying logs as well as strata samples from these wells were studied across the five geomorphological zones of the area. The Geophysical logging operations were done using Mount Sopris Instrument, MGX II Logger. WellCAD software was used in the interpretation of the well log data. The gamma logs neatly delineated the different aquifers. The area generally is underlain by alternating sequences of sands and clay. This sequence is capped by laterized soil around the coastal plain sand areas. The area consists of a multiple aquifer system with three categories of aquifers delineated as Deep (410-600m), Medium (135-409m) and Shallow (5-134m) aquifers. Based on the amount of gamma Count Per Second (CPS), the aquifer system in the area can be classified into Very Low Gamma Count (Highly Sandy Aquifers), Low Gamma Count (Sandy Aquifers) and Medium Gamma Count (Slightly Clayey Aquifers).The very low gamma count aquifers indicating high sandy aquifer have counts ranging from 9.9 to 12.9 CPS. Considering the porosity of the aquifer media, aquifer systems of the area are classified as high (>65%), medium (36-65%), low (21-36%) and very low (<21%) porosities. Based on the distribution of aquifer resistivity values at different depths where aquifers were mapped, the entire study area was adjudged to have the following aquifer systems viz: Very Low Resistivity Aquifers with values ranging from 0 to 20 Ohm-m (Saline Water), Low Resistivity Aquifers ranging from 20 and 100 Ohm-m (High Ferrous Contamination), Medium Resistivity Aquifers with values ranging from 100 to 500 Ohm-m (Low Ferrous Contamination) and High Resistivity Aquifers with values
above 600 Ohm-m (Fresh Water with no Saline or Ferrous Contamination). The saline-fresh water boundary varies from location to location within the study area. The boundary was obsvered to be shallow within Tunu flow station of Bayelsa State; NLNG Amadi Creek and Amadi Creek 2 of Rivers State; Erunailaje, Akpata Ijaw, Ayetoro and Adoloseimo areas of Ondo State. Deep saline–fresh water boundary occurs around Bonny water, Finima water Board, Bille, Idama, Kula and Asaramatoru areas of Rivers State; Jinrinwo and Abealala Ilaje area of Ondo State as Well as Ogidigben area of Delta State. The study showed that there are aquifers deeper than 80 metres within the Onne, Amadi Creek, Kidney Island and Amadi flats areas that can produce potable water free from saline water and ferrous contamination provided there is no over pumping and the hydrostatic balance is maintained. Aquifer resistivities of over 600 Ohm-m were established to be fresh water. The study also showed that salt water can be isolated in most of the areas particularly in the salt water swamps and coastal beaches areas by drilling very deep boreholes. Some of the aquifers in the coastal plain sand environments can be considered to be free from any contamination in depths exceeding 120m.The resistivity logs indicated different saline water aquifer depths for the boreholes in the area where the vertical distribution of saline water ranges from 0-80m around Onne, Amadi Creek and Kidney Island and 0-145m around Bonny, 0-218m around Finima Bonny and 0-260m in Bille. The implication is that, wells drilled from surface and terminated within these depth ranges at these locations will encounter saline water and wells drilled below these depths will not encounter saline water. It is recommended that because of the nature of the aquifers of the coastal area ofNiger Delta, there is an urgent need to protect the aquifers from further contamination by enacting appropriate laws to protect the groundwater of the area and to curtail indiscriminate drilling of boreholes and over extraction of water from the few fresh water aquifers of the Niger Delta It is hoped that the results will be useful to researchers, stakeholders and government agencies involved in developing local and regional water plans.
Gene expression signature and phenotypic variables of plasmodium falciparum infected adults in Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-10-18) Ogbole, Faith Ajiebabhio
Malaria is an acute inflammatory disease that requires continuous monitoring and surveillance in high risk areas. Although several molecular methods are available for the detection of submicroscopic malaria, however the most sensitive molecular method has not been established. Also, given the emergence of antimalarial drug resistance by Plasmodium, an alternative strategy to antimalarial drug design is needed. A knowledge of the biochemical and molecular adaptation dynamics of residents in high risk areas might provide novel targets for antimalarial drug design. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite infection among adults in Sagbama LGA, Bayelsa State, Nigeria using two molecular methods, evaluate the pattern of distribution of ABO/Rhesus blood groups and haemoglobin genotypes in relation to malaria, and evaluate the inflammatory role of haemoglobin genotypes and ABO/Rhesusblood group in relation to malaria in Sagbama LGA. A cross sectional community based study design was used to randomly collect 206 blood samples from the study participants. Study participants were grouped into three; uninfected, asymptomatic, mild and severe malaria group. Each group was further stratified based on ABO/Rhesus blood group and haemoglobin genotype. Nested-genomic-PCR and high resolution melting analysis (HRMA) were used to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite infection by using a set of primers to target the 18S rRNA gene of Plasmodium falciparum and results were compared with microscopy. Haemoglobin (Hb) genotypetest, blood group test as well as real time PCR gene expression of inflammatory genes were carried out. Overall, 43.20% males and 56.80% females with mean age 39 ± 6.65 years participated in the study. The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection among adults was 92.72% (asymptomatic; 63.62%, mild; 18.93%, severe; 10.19%). HRMA was the most sensitive molecular method. Microscopy and nested-genomic PCR yielded 58.25% and 19.9% false negatives respectively. Pair-wise performance comparison of the diagnostic methods was significant (p < 0.001). High parasitemia (19005 ± 7345 Parasites/ⴗl of blood) was found among asymptomatic subjects yet they were not clinically ill. Blood group O was the most common ABO blood group (54.85%) and 96.6% of the study population were Rhesus positive, while 80.1% had haemoglobin genotype AA. Blood groups A, B, AB and O were all associated with symptomatic malaria (P < 0.05), blood groups A, B and AB were associated with mild malaria (P < 0.05), while only blood group B was associated with severe malaria (p < 0.05). Both Hb AA and AS were associated with asymptomatic malaria (P < 0.05), while only Hb AA was associated with mild and severe malaria (p < 0.05). A significant upregulation in the gene expression of proinflammatory TNFα and IFNγ was found among blood group A, B and AB and Hb AA subjects compared with blood group O and Hb AS subjects (p < 0.001). This was accompanied by a downregulation in the gene expression of anti-inflammatory IL-10 among blood group A, B and AB and Hb AA malaria subjects compared with blood group O malaria subjects (p < value 0.001). In conclusion, the present study found a high prevalence of malaria parasite infection (92.72%) in Sagbama LGA using HRMA. It also found that the mechanism by which ABO blood groups and haemoglobin genotypes influence malaria is by differential expression of inflammatory genes. Findings may have implication for theidentification of novel target for antimalarial drug development. However, further large scale study is suggested.
Valedictory visit to FUTO Farm Ltd
(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2016-05-04) Anyanwu, G. A.