Assessment of Noise Exposure of Sawmill Workers in Southwest,Nigeria

Economic wood processing employs the use of industrial machines for cutting, shaping, milling, and sawing timber, thereby leading to the generation of high levels of noise. Published data from empirical studies have categorized noise as an environmental hazard of global significance. Furthermore, noise exposure limits for different industries and all the industrial machines available has not been formally established as it presently exists in developed nations around the world. Therefore, this study assessed the daily exposure of sawmills workers to noise in Southwestern Nigeria. Reconnaissance surveys were first carried out in Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Ogun States to select sawmills that were fully operational and fit for the study. Two fully functional sawmills in two cities of each State were eventually selected for data collection, making a total of 24 sawmills, while the Circular Machines (CM), Planer Machines (PM), and Band-saw Machines (BM) were the machines in each sawmill considered. Two machines each of CM, PM, and BM were considered in each sawmill, making a total of forty-eight (48) machines each of CM, PM, and BM. Sound data were collected between 7 am and 7 pm each day for six days (between Monday and Saturday) using Extech 407732 sound level meter and all stabilized measurements were taken three times at different intervals. The data collected were in three different periods: Machine No-work Period (NP_m), Machine Idle Period (IP_m), and Machine Working Period (WP_m). A two–way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out at P < 0.05 to determine whether there is a significant difference in the sound level average before and after the break, for both the idle and working periods of the three machines considered. This was also done to determine whether there is a significant difference between the sound level average of the results collected during idle and working periods of the three machines. Noise Pollution Levels (L_np) ranged from 83.20 dB (PM) to 107.65 (BM) and 93.42 (CM and PM) – 116.00 (BM) respectively, while IP_m also gave the least noise pollution level of 95.79 dB and WP_m gave the highest level of 102.88 dB. The results revealed that all the machines’ L_np values in the working period are more than the 90 dB acceptable limit the recommendation value of 90 dB while 89.6% of CMs, 75% of PMs, and 89.6% of BM had their L_np above 90 dB in the idle period respectively. The minimum and the maximum noise dose levels for IP_m, WP_m and overall are 0.09 (BM) and 2.37 (CM), 0.50 (CM), and 4.77 (PM) and 0.69 (BM) and 6.64 (PM) respectively. The study found out that the fundamental contributing factors to the high noise levels in sawmills are poor machine maintenance, use of old and obsolete machines, poor housekeeping strategy, limited space, workers’ negligence, lack of PPE, and lack of occupational safety training. The study recommends that proper workplace practices such as use of personal protective equipment, new and modern machines, training, and occupational safety programmes be implemented in the considered sawmills.     

Preparation of a set of selectively protected disaccharides for modular synthesis of heparan sulfate fragments: toward the synthesis of several <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-sulfonated [β-D-GlcUA-(1→4)-β-D-GlcNAc]OPr types

A concise method for a stereocontrolled synthesis of a set of selectively protected disaccharides is reported. Coupling of the donor 11 onto acceptors 23 and 24, promoted by trimethylsilyl triflate-N-iodosuccinimide (TMSOTf-NIS), generated the disaccharides 25 and 26. Under typical conditions, condensation of the fully protected donor 12 onto acceptors 23 and 24 produced the disaccharides 27 and 28. The building blocks 25–28 were prepared in moderate yields having exclusive β-stereoselectivity. A unique pattern of protecting groups distinguished clearly between positions to be sulfated and functional groups remaining as free hydroxyl groups. Acetyl and/or levulinoyl esters temporarily protected the positions to be sulfated, while benzyl ethers were used for permanent protection. The anomeric positions were protected as allyl ethers, whereas the 4′-positions were masked as p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) ethers. The orthogonality of the PMB and allyl groups can then be used for further elongation of the chain by recurrent deprotection and activation steps. The hydroxyl group, OH-6, of glucosamine moieties was protected as a TBDPS ether to avoid oxidation. A five-step deprotection/sulfonation sequence was applied to the disaccharide 27 to generate the corresponding sulfated [β-D-GlcUA-2-OSO₃Na-(1→4)-β-D-Glc pNAc]-(1→O-Pro) 34.     

Synthesis of Novel Semiconducting Aromatic Polyesteramids Containing Pyridine: Characterization of Nanometer-Sized Rod-Like Analogues and their Copper (II) Complexes

In this paper, new thermally stable isomeric unsubstituted polyesteramides have been successfully prepared by condensation of aromatic acids chlorides namely; isophthaloyl, pyridine-3,5-dicarbonyl and pyridine-2,6-pyridine-dicarbonyl dichlorides with the aminophenol isomers in NMP. Conducting the reaction in NMP/H₂O (90/10 v/v) followed by centrifugal separation furnished the desired polymers as rod-like nanoparticles. The morphology of obtained nanoparticles were studied by SEM. Mixing NMP with H₂O was essential for controlling the particles morphology and as a reaction accelerator.

Pyridine-containing polymers exhibit semi-conducting nature as their conductivities increase with increasing temperature, while no variation of the conductivity with the temperature was observed for their corresponding phenylene analogues. Introduction of the nitro group into the polymer backbone led to a red shift in the absorption and the obtained polymers have a bright yellow color, which is unusual with this polymer group. Copper (II) ions were complexed the polyesteramides-containing nitro group in a (1:1) ratio. Complexes of pyridine-containing polymers exhibit semiconducting nature changed to metallic characters on heating and their conductivities increased tens of magnitudes than their corresponding ligands. These new types of polymeric materials and their nano-sized rods may have numerous applications in nanotechnology and their properties can be tuned for specific applications such as conducting adhesives and coating materials.     

Leptospermum petersonii as a Potential Natural Food Preservative

Leptospermum petersonii (family Myrtaceae) is often cultivated for ornamental purposes but also serves as a rich source of bioactive essential oils. While several studies focused on the activities of the essential oils, this study analysed the potential of spent L. petersonii leaves as a natural food preservative. Method: We investigated the in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of crude L. petersonii extracts against activities of the purified isolated flavonoid, 6-methyltectochrysin, which was characterized using spectroscopic methods. The antioxidant assays followed ORAC, FRAP and TEAC tests. The antimicrobial activities of the extract and purified flavonoid were analysed against six multi-drug resistant microbial strains in broth dilution assays. Result: The results revealed that both the crude extracts and isolated 6-methyltectochrysin exhibited positive radical ion scavenging antioxidant potential, however the crude extract was about 6-fold more potent antioxidant than the purified 6-methyltectochrysin. The crude extract also showed strong antimicrobial activities against Bacillus cereus, and even more potent antimicrobial agent than the reference ampicillin antibiotic against Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae. A higher resistance was observed for the tested Gram-negative strains than for the Gram-positive ones. 6-methyltectochrysin was generally inactive in the antimicrobial assays. Conclusion: The crude methanolic extract showed significant bioactivity which validates the medicinal relevance of the plant. The observed biological activities, especially against a notorious strain of B. cereus, suggest that L. petersonii could be a promising natural source of food preservatives.     

Structure, dsingle-particle and many-particle coefficients of Lennard—Jones liquid Al

We investigate the effects of temperature and density on the single-particle and many-particle coefficients as well as on the structures of homogenous systems in which the particles are assumed to interact via a continuous soft sphere potential in the microcanonical ensemble. The pair distribution function and therefore the structures of the systems studied are affected by temperature close to and above the melting point through migrations of atoms from the first shell in the pair distribution function. The dynamics of atomic pairs in the short-time regime in liquid aluminium may be said to be governed by the potential of mean force, which depends on the static structure of liquid Al at all investigated temperatures. A polynomial dependence ofD on density and temperature was observed in contradiction to Arrhenius law. The shear viscosities of the systems studied are largely nonlinear. It was observed that the soft sphere potential used in our calculations overestimates the Stoke-Einstein relation.     

Synthesis,molecular modeling,TD-DFT,antimicrobial, and in vitro therapeutic activity of new spherical nano-sized sulfonamide imine ligands and their zinc (II) and copper (II) complexes

A series of nanometer-sized spherical sulfonamide imine ligands HL ¹ -HL ⁵ and their copper and zinc complexes were synthesized and fully characterized based on elemental analyses, spectroscopic (UV/vis, FT-IR, NMR, EPR, SEM) studies, molar conductance and thermal analyses. Furthermore, computational studies of HL ¹ -HL ⁵ were carried out by the DFT/B3LYP method. TD-DFT, HOMO and LUMO energy values, chemical hardness, electronegativity, electrophilic index, softness, and other parameters were calculated. Screening against several pathogenic microorganisms indicated that HL ¹ exhibited high activity against the tested Gram-negative bacteria relative to other analogues and the inhibition activity is greater than the standard Gentamicin. Analogously, HL ² exhibited high potent activity against the tested Gram-positive bacteria. Copper complexes exhibited a higher potent activity than zinc analogues. Noteworthy, inhibition activity of [Cu ( L ³ )(OAc)] complex is higher than that of the standard Ampicillin. [Cu ( L ² )(OAc)] complex displayed a similar activity of the standard bactericides and fungicides in use. The complexes showed appreciated values of MIC against bacterial strains: B. subtilis (MIC = 0.4 μg / mL), E. coli and S. pneumonia (MIC = 1.95 μg / mL) and P. aeruginosa (MIC = 7.81 μg / mL). in vitro cytotoxic activities study proved that [Cu ( L ³ )(OAc)] complex exhibited appreciable activity versus (HEPG-2); IC₅₀ = 4.8 μg/ml, while [Cu( L ² )(OAc)] complex showed a high activity against (MCF-7); IC₅₀ = 6.2 μg/ml. These results could be considered as new findings of promising antitumor candidates for experimental chemotherapy.     

The conformational search,the stability,fragment interaction and resistance to acidic attack of epoxyl-polyurethanes in different solvent media

Structural Chemistry - Natural-based polyols are seen by polyurethane industries as an alternative to the petroleum-based polyols because of increasing challenges due to the oil crisis and global...     

Sequestration of Aqueous Lead(II) Using Modified and Unmodified Red Onion Skin

The efficacy of onion skins, both unmodified and chemically modified with thioglycolic acid, was investigated as alternative low-cost adsorbents for the sequestration of aqueous lead(II) ions from aqueous solution. The adsorbents were characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Adsorption experiments were performed using batch sorption processes. The effects of contact time, pH, initial Pb(II) concentration, adsorbent dose, and temperature were investigated. Optimum sorption conditions were found at pH 4 and a 150?min equilibrium time for the modified onion skin and unmodified onion skin. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Temkin models were used to characterize the equilibrium experimental results. The equilibrium process was best described by the Freundlich isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities of 4.878 and 6.173?mg/g were obtained for modified and unmodified adsorbents, respectively, using the Langmuir model. Kinetic studies indicated that the sorption of Pb(II) ions followed a pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters such as standard enthalpy change (ΔH°), entropy change (ΔS°), and free energy change (ΔG°) were evaluated from the sorption experimental measurements. The results showed that the sorption process of Pb(II) ions on unmodified and modified onion skins was feasible and exothermic under the conditions used in this study. The sorption process followed the mechanism of physisorption.     

Dioclins A and B,new antioxidant flavonoids from Dioclea reflexa

Dioclins A (1) and B (2), the new flavonoids, have been isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the roots of Dioclea reflexa along with 3,5-dihydroxy-4 methoxybenzoic acid (3), lupeol (4) and the rare dipeptide, auratiamide acetate (5). Their structures have been elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. The compounds 1 and 2 showed a significant antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging assay.