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The Incidence of Extended-Spectrum Beta- Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Bacteria in Salad Vegetables in Ondo City, Nigeria
Get PDFStaff PublicationAim: This study was carried out to determine the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria in salad vegetables in Ondo City, Nigeria.
Study Design: An experimental study design with randomized sampling.
Place and Duration of the Study: The research was carried out in the Department of Biological Sciences of Wesley University, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Methodology: Samples of cucumber, carrot, green pea, green beans, sweet corn and cabbage were analysed on appropriate agar medium. Pure isolates were identified by biochemical tests and confirmation was done by the use of API 20 E and API 20 NE in accordance with standard procedures. ESBLs screening was carried out using the double disk synergy test. Data were statistically analyzed using MedCalc statistical software (version 17.2).
Results: Total viable bacterial counts (TVBCs) ranged from 1.1 × 103 to 7.1 x 105 cfu/ml; total coliform counts (TCC) ranged from 1.2 x 102 to 3.9 x 103 cfu/ml while total faecal counts (TFC) ranged from 0 to 2.9 × 102 cfu/ml. There were statistical differences in mean TVBCs of the samples (P 0.05). One hundred and sixty (166) isolates obtained from the samples were identified as Bacillus cereus, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcesens and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. At least one member of all bacterial species, except S. saprophyticus, produced ESBL.
Conclusion: This study revealed that salad vegetables could be a vehicle for the spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria which translates to a threat to public health around the world as salads are loved and consumed by all categories of people globally
Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Fitness Machines in Selected Fitness Centers at Akure and Elizade University in Ondo State Nigeria
Get PDFAim: This study seeks to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from
surfaces of fitness machines at fitness center located at Elizade University and Akure town.
Methods: Samples were collected from the different site of gym equipment including thread mill
(handle, floor), bicep bench (handle), bike (handle, paddle), cruncher (handle, elbow) using sterile
swab stick moistened with sterile buffered physiological solution. The swab sticks were immediately
transferred to the laboratory for analysis. Standard microbiological techniques were used to identify
the bacterial isolates. The antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates was determined by using
standard antibiotics discs.
Results: Out of the 31 isolates identified, Staphylococcus aureus 12(38.7%) was the predominant
bacteria followed by Bacillus spp. 11(35.5%), Klebsiella spp. 4(12.9%), E. coli and Staphylococcus
saprophyticus 2(6.45%) and Enterococcus spp. 1(3.23%). The susceptibility profile showed that all
isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin (AM) and Augmentin (AU), Staphylococcus spp. isolated from different surfaces shows different susceptibility pattern to the used antibiotics, while Bacillus spp.
Klebsiella spp. and E. coli also confer resistance to more than one commonly used antibiotic.
Conclusion: The results showed the occurrence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in which their
presence on the equipment surfaces could easily be transmitted between users and to the
environment generally. The spread of these potential pathogenic microorganisms in the fitness center can be prevented through frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer as well as daily
cleaning of equipment surfaces before and after activities with disinfectants
Sustainable Machining Processes through Optimization of Process Parameters
Get PDFMachining processes are a vital part of manufacturing activities in major industries that contributes to the growth of the economy. They mostly require high amount of electrical energy to power the various support modules installed on machine tools. Carrying out machining activities with a view to reducing energy consumption will therefore result in a lowered cost of production for manufactured products. Previous studies on some energy-saving methods adopted by researchers and the limitations faced in the reduction of energy consumption have been discussed. In this work, the effect of process parameters in the conservation of energy during machining processes was experimented. Results shows that much energy could be saved by optimizing parameters before machining
Cassava Wastewater and Solid Waste Leachate as Cyanogenic Substrates for the Growth of Nitrile and Linamarin-Utilizing Bacteria
Get PDFThe direct discharge of wastewaters containing cyanogenic compounds poses severe health hazards, hence this study aimed to establish the biodegradative potential of nitrile and linamarin utilizing bacterial strains in the degradation of cyanogens in cassava wastewaters (CWW) and solid waste leachates (SWL). Glutaronitrile-utilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. strain WOD8 KX774193 and Corynebacterium sp. strains WOIS2 KX774194) were isolated from solid waste leachates while linamarin-utilizing bacteria strains (Bacillus pumilus strain WOB3 KX774195 and Bacillus pumilus strain WOB7 KX774196) were isolated from cassava wastewaters. They were identified on the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics, microscopic and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Microbial growth assessment coupled with pH changes were performed under aerobic batch conditions. Growth was evaluated at intervals (2 days) by the intensity of turbidity (O.D. 600 nm) in CWW and SWL media. The doubling times of strains WOD8 and WOIS2 when grown on CWW and SWL (without supplementing mineral salts medium) were 12.83 and 10.83 d (specific growth rate, µ: 0.054 and 0.064 d-1) and 20.38 and 17.77 d (µ: 0.034 and 0.039 d-1) respectively. Also, strains WOD8 and WOIS2 grew on supplemented CWW and SWL with doubling times of 10.04 and 9.9 d (µ: 0.069 and 0.070 d-1) and 16.12 and 16.12 d (µ: 0.043 and 0.043 d-1) respectively. Similarly, the doubling times of strains WOB3 and WOB7 when grown on CWW and SWL (without supplementing mineral salts medium) were 8.25 and 7.53 d (µ: 0.084 and 0.092 d-1) and 8.66 and 9.90 d (µ: 0.080 and 0.070 d-1) respectively. Whereas, the same strains had doubling times of 6.30 and 5.78 (µ: 0.11 and 0.12 d-1) and 6.30 and 9.24 (µ: 0.11 and 0.075 d-1) respectively when grown on supplemented CWW and SWL. It would appear that CWW has the highest potential as a natural growth substrate than SWL, and its use for biomass production may contribute to a reduction in the overall environmental impact generated by discarding cyanogenic residues
The Structure of the Local Government Bureaucracy and the Attainment of Development Goals in Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers States of Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction There is a nexus between bureaucracy and development, especially in a developing
country like Nigeria. According to Gbenga and Ariyo (2006), increasing the
tempo of development in any polity must consider the various players in the
system. The bureaucracy, being the engine house for the actualization of policies,
privately or publicly, remains a major instrumentality that can drive development.
Unfortunately, they not~ development has been undermined and retarded by the
menace of corrupt practices. They elucidated that it will amount to affirming the obvious
by saying that corruption has permeated every facet of the Nigerian society. According to
them, several reforms aimed at making the civil and local government bureaucracy more
proficient and result-oriented, have been carried out since independence. They, however,
lamented that not much have been achieved from.such reforms, attributing corruption as
one of the factors that have affected the success of such reforms (Gbcnga &Ariyo, 2006).
Erne and Emeh (2012) stated that government bureaucracy is a very important factor
required for the process of rural development. That is why, in their opinion, the strength
of any bureaucracy defines its output. The greater the strength of the efficiency of the
bureaucracy to tackle intricate and societal development plans, the greater the
development potentials of that society. However, Okafor (2009) opined that this
assertion does not, in any way, suggest that government bureaucracy remains the only
force that drives development, though, it remains a necessary machinery.
Local government management in Nigeria, according to Agba, Stephen and Nnamani
(2014), has been bedeviled by open market mentality, pitiable accounting processes,
absence of reliable data needed for planning, excess politicization, insufficient funding
and reduced revenue, greed, higher government interference, lack of direction and
corruption. The bureaucracy at the level of the local government accounts for, and in
some other cases, is implicated in some of the aforementioned pathologies. There is the
need, therefore, to cast an indulgent eye on the bureaucracy, especially its structure at
this local level with the singular objective of restructuring it to deliver development at
this level of governance. Historically, local government in Nigeria, since independence, has gone through a
chequered progression. It remains the closest governmental apparatus to the citizens that
is supposed to relate more swiftly to the needs of the people. It is charged with bringing
the profound benefits of governmental administration to the citizens. These benefits . '
among others, include making democratic practices more proximate and a~so delivering
efficient services to the masses. However, some of these benefits, so far, have remained
largely elusive at the level oflocal government in Nigeri~.
Reforms by past governments, which include the 1976 Local Government Reform, the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979, the Dasuki 1984 Report of the
Nigerian Local Government, the Handbook of Local Government Administration, 1992
and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which were supposedly
aimed at properly positioning governments at the local level for delivering the profound
benefits of development, so far, have not yielded the desired results. The governments at
the local level in Nigeria still grapple, seemingly, with the challenge of efficiently
delivering services and also bringing development proximate to the people. Previous
reforms of the local government system that were supposedly aimed at strengthening the
political arm and bureaucratic arm of government at the local level, towards efficient
performance have, thus far, failed to meet their objectives especially that of
development. Governments at the local level in Nigeria in the past years have received
several trillion naira in taxes as internal revenue and also from external sources.
However, there seems to be a lacuna between the huge income received by governments
at the local level in Nigeria and the fulfillment of their responsibilities as stipulated by
the constitution
Development of an Indigenously Made Diesel Fired Crucible Furnace
Get PDFMost castings in Nigeria are imported, the poor performance of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria is indicative of the low state of the foundry industry of which majority are small–medium scale enterprises with an unsubstantial total productive cost and input to the upper limit of only between 5-20 million naira. This is quite very low compared to that in the US; put the market value of the annual casting shipments at 28-30 billion US dollars produced by approximately 3,200 foundries has been reported. These myriad of problems therefore, necessitated this research workThe technological advancement of any nation have been influenced and uplifted by the extent to which it can usefully harness and convert its mineral resources. The productions of metal in foundries and in all human lives have become a general practice. This work deals with the design, fabrication and performance evaluation of a diesel-fired crucible furnace suitable for use both in the rural and urban areas for casting of different types of metals using indigenously sourced materials and technology. The components of furnace were furnace casing, crucible, furnace cover, burner housing, furnace cover stand, base stand and burner. Mild steel sheet was used for the fabrication of the furnace, while the other components needed for the design were selected based on functionality, durability, cost and local availability. Experimental tests were performed to evaluate the performance of the furnace. The average heating rate of 19.54°C/min was recorded by the furnace and attained a temperature as high as 1420 °C. The furnace also had a melting rate of 454.55g/min for Aluminium. The thermal efficiency of the furnace was determined to be 10.80%. The low value was as result of the large energy wastage due to the type of insulator used in making the furnace wall. The furnace is environmental friendly without health hazards to the workers and can be moved from one place to another unlike the local one.Self-sponsore
Genetic Studies of Grain Yield and other Agronomic Traits of Low-N Maize (Zea mays L.) Using a Diallel Cross under Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels
No full textTen low-N open pollinated maize varieties were converted to inbred line after six generations of
selfing and used to study the genetic effects of grain yield and other agronomic traits. The 10
inbred lines were crossed in all possible combinations to generate 90 F1 hybrids (45 crosses and
45 reciprocals). The 90 F1 along with their parents were evaluated at the Teaching and Research
Farms of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and Osun State University, Ejigbo in 2017, using two
environments created by levels of N (low and high). The design at each location was a
Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two replicates. Data were collected on plant
height, ear height, days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% silking, incidence of curvularia leaf spot,
blight, plant aspect, ear aspect, ear rot, stay green, cob per plant, ear weight, grain moisture
content and grain yield. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance. Specific
combining ability (SCA) and general combing ability (GCA) were obtained for the traits. The mean
yield of the hybrids (6,444.42 t/ha) and reciprocal (5,971.64 t/ha) were significantly higher than
their parents (2,212.84 t/ha). Significant GCA, SCA and reciprocal were recorded for all traits.
Hybrids showed better performance compared with parental lines demonstrating heterotic effect.
The ratio of GCA/SCA mean square revealed that non-additive gene action was more important
for all the traits except ear height, blight, stay green and cob per plant. The estimate of GCA and
SCA in this study provides the maize breeder with information to determine which lines to select
to improve elite varieties and which parent lines should be used for making hybrids with greater
grain yield under condition of low soil N
The Effects of Heat Generation on Cutting Tool and Machined Workpiece
Get PDFMetal cutting processes usually cause heat generation at the cutting zone (around the workpiece-tool intersection). The heat generated during these processes may cause different effects on both the workpiece and tool, this in turn may affect the finished product and the general performance of the machined piece. In this study, a review was done on various types of machining conditions available, effects of heat generated on the workpiece and tool, and the approaches adopted to reduce this heat at cutting zones. This study also focuses on the simulation of percentage ratio of heat removal. To handle the simulation, various approaches of heat removal methods were used to get the percentage ratio using the ansys version 19.1 software. It was discovered that heat generation causes two major types of wear on the tool, crater and flank wear, resulting in the reduction of cutting tool life as well as dimensional inaccuracy, surface damage and severe corrosion cases on the workpiece. Various heat reduction methods and coolant application types were as well studied and their merits and demerits were discussed
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIGENOUSLY MADE DIESEL INJECTOR TESTER
No full textThis work entails the design and construction of a diesel injector tester for proper spray pattern, leakages and pressure inspection. The mechanism is important as the injection system requires greater manufacturing precision and tight tolerance for the system to function efficiently. A diesel injector tester was designed with CREO Parametric CAD software after which the real hardware prototype was developed. The machine was tested and its performance was evaluated through the spray, pressure and leakage tests,
respectively, as it worked perfectly. Conclusively, the machine was successfully completed having a unique ability of being modified as it can be utilized in any automobile workshop for proper diagnosis. Necessary recommendations were later made
Role of Information Literacy Skills on Use of Information Resources by Medical Students in Lagos State
Get PDFBackground: This paper investigates the role of information literacy skills on use of information resources by medical students in Lagos state.
Objectives: Find out the types of information resources available, level of availability and the skills for accessing them, level of information resources used, is there a significant relationship between information literacy skills and use of information resources. Methods: The study adopted a survey research design. Total enumeration sampling technique was employed. Self-structured questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) to test the hypothesis.
Results: The study found out that print newspapers, textbooks and e-resources were mostly available to the Medical students.
Conclusion: the study concludes that adequate attention should be given to information literacy by ensuring that medical students acquire relevant competencies which are essential for information search