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Fuel subsidy reforms and supply chain performance of maritime terminal operations in Nigeria
Full text linkThis thesis is for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) in Maritime Management TechnologyThe study investigated the fuel subsidy reforms and the supply chain performance of maritime terminal operations in Nigeria. The objectives of the study were among other things, to evaluate the effects of fuel subsidy reforms on the cargo throughput, bulk road vehicles calls, and ship calls handled at maritime terminals involved in the petroleum product import and distribution supply chain. The study also determined the coefficients of elasticity of cargo dues and ship dues payments of terminal operators as a result of variations in the pump price of petroleum products, daily swap import, number of approved supply vendors and annual subsidy payment occasioned by fuel subsidy reforms. Exploratory research design was used in which time series quantitative data on daily swap import, number of supply vendors approved, annual subsidy payment, pump price per liter, are sourced from secondary sources and used as proxies for fuel subsidy reforms while cargo throughput, ship call traffic, bulk road vehicles calls, cargo dues payments and ship dues payments of the terminal operators were obtained from the Nigeria port authority statistical reports and used as proxies for supply chain performance of the terminal operators in the handling of petroleum product transiting through it over the period. The methods of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and log linear multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data obtained using statistical software. It was found that a 1% annual increase in pump price per liter will increase the throughput of petroleum product handled in the marine terminals by 0.12% while a 1% increase in daily swap import leads to a 0.653% decrease in cargo throughput handled in the terminals. In a similar manner, a percentage increase in number of supply vendors will lead to a 0.012% decrease in cargo throughput performance of the marine terminals while a percentage increase in annual subsidy payment will lead to a decline of 0.17% in cargo throughput performance of the terminal operators in the petroleum products supply chain. Furthermore, a 1% annual increase in pump price per liter will lead to a decline in ship dues paid by terminal operators by 1.196% per annum while a 1% increase in daily swap import leads to a 0.292% decrease in ship dues paid by marine terminal operators per annum. Similarly, a one percent increase in number of supply vendors will lead to a 0.453% decrease in ship dues paid by marine terminal operators involved in the distribution chain of petroleum products in Nigeria while a one percent increase in annual subsidy payment will lead to a decline of 0.232% in ship dues paid by terminal operators in the petroleum products supply chain. The equation depicting the effect of fuel subsidy reforms on cargo throughput handled at the terminals is: Log CARPUT = 30.817 + 0.12LogPUPRI - 0.653LogDSI – 0.012LogNSV - 0.17LogASP. Similarly, the equation depicting the effect of fuel subsidy reforms on ship dues payments of the terminal operators is: Log SHDUES = 25.67 – 1.196LogPUPRI - 0.292LogDSI + 0.453LogNSV - 0.232LogASP among many other empirical relationships. The policy implications of the results were discussed and recommendations proffered on the basis of the research findings
Benchmarking performances of airline management models among domestic airlines in Nigeria
Full text linkThis thesis is for the award of Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Air Transport optionThis study considers Benchmarking of Airline Management Models amongst Domestic Airlines in Nigeria. To guide the study, four research questions and four hypotheses were formulated. The population consisted of Station Managers of the airlines, and Airline personnel, Airport workers, regulatory representatives which consisted of NCAA, NAMA, FAAN from across four Airports in the South-South, Nigeria. A sample size of 180 respondents randomly selected from the four (4) airports in the study area. Airport management model questionnaire were developed. The instrument was validated and tested for reliability using the Split-half method. The instrument yielded a reliability coefficient 0f 0.85. Descriptive Statistics (Pearson Product Moment Correlation [PPMC] and nonlinear Regression Statistics) were used to test the hypothesis. Four (4) dependable variables which comprises of customer satisfaction, operational profitability, operational efficiency, and operational safety of the sampled Airlines were analyzed regarding each airlines management models. The result show that all four variables analyzed were above .05 level of significant, at the degrees of freedom of the respective numbers of observations therefore the null hypotheses for the objectives were not retained. The findings show that the overall performances of Domestic Airlines in Nigeria are largely dependent on management models’ compositions: significant improvement on customer Satisfaction, airline profitability, operational efficiencies, and operational safety will certainly make Airlines operations very profitable in Nigeria. It was therefore recommended among other things, efforts should be made upgrade their operational performances through Benchmarking for a more improved customer satisfaction, productivity, efficiency, and safety of the airlines
Occupational stress and hypertension among health professionals in Owerri, Imo State
Full text linkThis thesis is for the award of Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology and Bio-statistics optionStress among health professionals is relatively common, and seemingly, this is a worldwide problem. Although prevalent, it is a major risk factor of hypertension. The main aim of this study is to determine the association between occupational stress and hypertension among health care professionals in Owerri, Imo State. The descriptive cross sectional study was carried out between November and December 2021 among health care professionals in Federal Medical Centre Owerri, Imo State Specialist Hospital, Federal Polytechnic Nekede Medical Centre, Federal University of Technology Owerri Medical Centre, Alvan Ikoku Federal. College of Education Medical Centre, and Holy Rosary Hospital Emekuku. Multistage, Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the 400 health care professionals who participated in the study. A pretested well structured questionnaire, a motech digital sphygmomanometer and a standard stress measuring scale (PSS) were used for data collection. Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used to analyse the data. Hypothesis were tested using chi-square test and p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results indicated higher prevalence of stress (35%) than hypertension (15%). Females had same hypertension rate as males (15%). Age group 36-45 had higher hypertension rate (22.9%) than age group <25 with 0% hypertension rate. Lab. Technicians were more hypertensive (20%) than Lab. Scientist who had the least (3.3%) . PhD as highest level of education accounted for (16.7%) while Masters accounted for (13.6%). Highest rate of hypertension was recorded among the married respondents (17.3%). Those who had family history of hypertension had higher hypertension rate (18.8%) than those with no family history of hypertension who had (9.6%). Although the findings showed that there is no direct association between occupational stress and hypertension, there is still need to educate the health care professionals on the stress coping strategies and the risk factors of hypertension to reduce to the barest minimum the occurrences
Biochemical analysis of Justicia carnea leaves used as a hematinic
No full textThe Master's thesis contains plates, figures and tablesJusticia carnea is the largest genus of Acanthaceae and is a medicinal plant used widely in Nigeria which is reported to have diverse functions, including blood-boosting potential. The phytochemical, vitamin, mineral, amino acid and roximate compositions, and antioxidant effects of the leaf extract of Justicia carnea were determined using standard methods was the goal of this study. Results of the quantitative phytochemical analyses carried out on the leaves of Justicia carnea recorded appreciable presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, oxalate, and phytate using GC-FID. Ribalinidine with 42.08±0.03 mg/kg was the highest alkaloid, Flavan -3-ol was 21.18±0.02
mg/kg, presented the highest amount of flavonoids, and phytate with 25.69±0.07 mg/kg as the highest antinutrient. Analysis of Justicia carnea leaves recorded iron (8.61 mg/kg) as the major element followed by potassium (5.29±0.11 mg/kg). The concentration of vitamins in Justicia carnea leaves shows vitamin C with the highest value of 232.32±12.26 mg/100g followed by Vitamin A (22.16±2.12 mg/kg. The results of proximate composition on Justicia carnea leaves showed a high concentration of carbohydrate (60.35±3.05 %) and appreciable amounts of ash (15.02±1.01 %), fibre (9.29±0.93 %),protein (8.40±0.41), and low amount of lipid (1.50±0.09 %). The amino acid results showed the presence of both essential and non-essential amino acids with their concentrations in increasing and decreasing order. The results of antioxidant activities assay of the Justicia leaf extract showed that the leaves had better ability to scavenge free radicals at a concentration of 5mg/ml and 10mg/ml but had a drop at 50mg/ml; the standard antioxidant was slightly higher than all the activities of the different concentrations of the extracts. The results of inhibition of lipid peroxidation of the leaf of J. carnea showed that the leaf extracts had a better ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation at a concentration of 5mg/ml and 10mg/ml but had drop at concentrations of 50mg/ml and 100mg/ml. The results of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of the leaf of J. carnea Showed that the leaf extracts promoted inhibition of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity with increasing concentrations. These results obtained showed that leaves of Justicia carnea may serve as
rich sources of natural antioxidants, free radical scavengers and should be recommended as a potential source of useful bioactive constituents as vegetable supplement and has no toxic effect and serve as an effective hematinic.Department of Biochemistry, FUT
Assessment of pathogenic microoganisms from sanitary facilities and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns in referral hospitals at Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
Full text linkThis thesis is for the award of Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology and Disease Control OptionThis study assessed referral hospital sanitary facilities in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. A crosssectional descriptive and experimental study designs were adopted for this study. A purposive sampling technique was adopted to select two (2) Referral Hospitals. For the cross-sectional descriptive study, a checklist by the Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) under the World Health Organization was adopted to assess the nature of the sanitary facilities. For the experimental study design, swabbing techniques were adopted. A total of one hundred and forty (140) samples were collected from bathroom floors, toilet seats, door handles, flush knobs, toilet covers and wash-hand basins within the hospital. Results revealed that borehole water was the major water source in the hospitals. Flush toilet facilities were major toilets used. Total viable bacterial counts of the sanitary facilities ranged from 2.0 x 101 cfu/swab to 7.2 x 102 cfu/swab; total coliform count ranged from 4.0 x 101 cfu/swab to 8.0 x 101 cfu/swab while total fungal counts ranged from 2.0 x 101 cfu/swab to 1.2 x 102 cfu/swab. The microbial load of the sanitary facilities showed that toilet seats had the highest total viable bacterial count, followed by bathroom floors and toilet covers. Bathroom floors had the highest coliform count while highest fungal count was recorded with door handles. Bacterial isolates from the sanitary facilities were Pseudomonas, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus, Bacillus, Micrococcus, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species. Fungal isolates were Candida species, Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Mucor species. Out of 24 isolates of Staphylococcus species, 9(37.5%) produced beta-haemolysis, while 7(29.2%) produced gamma-haemolysis. Out of 16 isolates of Streptococcus species recovered, 2(33.3%) produced alpha, while 2(33.3%) produced beta haemolysis. Out of 16 isolates of spergillus species recovered, 5(31.2%) produced alpha, while 3(18.7%) produced beta haemolysis. Zones of inhibition of antimicrobial drugs ranged from 12mm to 36mm, with Bacillus, Escherichia, Streptococcus, and Micrococcus species being resistant to some antibiotics. Aspergillus species and Rhizopus species showed resistance to fluconazole and ketoconazole.
These microorganisms could be vehicles for hospital-acquired infections in the hospital. The provision of safe and accessible water sources and toilet facilities in the hospitals is necessary to ensure effective cleaning of the sanitary facilities
Inhibition of mild steel corrosion using carica papaya and bitter-leaf extracts in 1.5M H2SO4 environment.
Full text linkMaster of engineering thesis on "inhibition of mild steel corrosion"This work concerns the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1.5M H2SO4 solution with and without the addition of plant-leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Carica papaya (CP). The inhibitor was obtained by filtering the juice from the ground fresh leaves of VA and CP. Weight loss technique was employed in the corrosion study while phytochemical analyses were conducted on the examined plant leaves to unravel the bioactive constituents. The duration of exposure time of specimens in the study environment spanned for 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours. The concentrations of the inhibitors were added at 5ml, 10ml, 15ml, and 20ml respectively. On the other hand, the inhibitor concentrations of the synergetic admixture (SA) were added such that CP or VA had the constant concentration (2ml) and remaining concentrations were augmented by the other at 5mL (2ml + 3ml), 10mL (2ml + 8ml), 15mL (2ml + 13ml), and 20mL (2ml + 18ml) respectively. Results revealed that the corrosion of mild steel in a 1.5 M H2SO4 solution was inhibited by the addition of both Vernonia amygdalina and papaya leaf extracts. As the VA leaf extract concentration was raised, the corrosion rate reduced, with the maximum inhibition efficacy of 64.8% being attained with 20 mL of VA after 24 hours. However, from 24 to 120 hours, a gradual decline in the inhibitor's potency was observed, which suggests that 20 mL concentration of VA does not offer a tenacious covering of the mild steel in 1.5 M H2SO4 for a longer period. The inclusion of Carica papaya leaf extract prevented mild steel from corroding in 1.5M H2SO4. After 48 hours, 20 mL of CP leaf extract produced the maximum inhibitory efficacy of about 86.89%. When Vernonia amygdalina and Carica papaya leaf extracts were combined, they demonstrated superior corrosion inhibition when compared to VA alone. The mixture of 18 mL of VA and 2 mL of CP showed the greatest degree of inhibitory effectiveness. Comparing Vernonia amygdalina to Carica papaya leaf extract, the latter appeared to be more successful in preventing corrosion in 1.5 M H2SO4 due to better inhibitory efficiency. The phytochemical analyses of the examined leaves revealed the presence of tannin, phytate, phenol, hydrogen cyanide, and alkaloid. To predict the observed corrosion rates, multiple regression (MR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were applied. In general, ANN predictions had less errors than MR predictions, indicating that ANN is better at predicting nonlinear corrosion inhibition relationships
Lawsonia inermis as an active corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in hydrochloric acid
Full text linkThe article contains tables and figuresCorrosion is a pervasive issue affecting metallic materials, with significant economic losses and safety risks in various industries. Mild steel, extensively used in construction and infrastructure, faces corrosion challenges, needing continuous research to effectively tackle them. Natural compounds, because of their eco-friendliness and corrosion inhibition potential, are attracting increasing interest for corrosion control. Lawsonia inermis (LI), or henna, a plant native to North Africa and South Asia, has bioactive compounds exhibiting corrosion inhibitive properties. This study comprehensively explores Lawsonia inermis’s effectiveness as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel, filling a gap in the existing research. Various concentrations of Lawsonia inermis extract were tested in acidic solutions to evaluate corrosion inhibition. Experimental results indicate a significant reduction in the corrosion rate with increasing inhibitor concentration. Langmuir adsorption isothermal analyses reveal the adsorption mechanism as being an interplay between physisorption and weak chemisorption. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate Lawsonia inermis’s capability to alter both cathodic and anodic reactions, leading to improved corrosion resistance. Scanning electron microscopy reveals a more even surface morphology in the presence of the Lawsonia inermis, indicating corrosion inhibition. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses identified organic compounds in Lawsonia inermis extract responsible for corrosion inhibition. Overall, Lawsonia inermis emerges as a promising corrosion inhibitor for mild steel, offering excellent inhibition efficiencies. This study sheds light on its adsorption behaviour and provides insights into its mechanism of action. These findings underscore Lawsonia inermis’s potential as a green corrosion inhibitor, paving the way for its practical application in industrial corrosion protection strategie
Prevalence and management behaviour of individuals with peptic ulcer due to helicobacter pylori in Owerri West local area, Imo state, Nigeria.
Full text linkA Master's thesis on management behaviour of individuals with peptic ulcer due to helicobacter pyloriBackground: Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a significant health issue globally. This study aims to determine the prevalence of H. pyloriassociated peptic ulcers and to assess the management behavior among individuals in Owerri West Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, targeting individuals aged 18 years and above in Owerri West LGA. A sample size of 439 respondents was determined using the Yammane formula and selected through a multi-stage sampling method. Data collection involved a combination of serological tests for H. pylori and structured questionnaires covering sociodemographic details, health information, lifestyle and dietary habits, access to healthcare, and management behavior of peptic ulcers. The validity and reliability of the instruments were ensured through expert review and a test-retest method with a reliability coefficient of 0.8. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained before the study commenced. Results: The study revealed a high prevalence of H. pylori infection among individuals diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease, with 82.5% testing positive for H. pylori. The demographic analysis showed a diverse population with the largest age group being 3140 years old and a slight majority of female respondents. Healthcare providersin the study included doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals with varying years of experience. Civil servants and traders were the predominant occupational groups among the patient respondents. The Urea breath test was identified as the most widely available and accessible diagnostic method, considered highly effective by a majority of respondents. The management behavior for peptic ulcers varied, the predominant forms of management reported include proton pump inhibitors (190 patients, 84.4%) and antibiotics (175 patients, 77.8%). Dietary changes were also widely reported (128 patients, 56.7%), with fewer patients using herbal remedies (27 patients, 11.9%)orantacids (65 patients, 28.4%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of H. pylori infection among individuals with peptic ulcers in Owerri West LGA highlights the need for effective diagnostic and management strategies. The study underscores the importance of accessible and reliable diagnostic methods, as well as comprehensive management approaches, to address the burden of H. pylori-associated peptic ulcers in the region
Plant-endophytic bacterial interactions in phytoremediation of crude oil-polluted soil
No full textDoctoral thesis on "plant-endophytic bacterial interactions" . It contains tables, diagrams and pictures.Endophytes reside within plant hosts asymptomatically, exhibiting continuous metabolic interactions with their hosts. The study investigated the role of plant-bacterial endophytes during phytoremediation of soil polluted with crude oil. Growth performance of Hibiscus cannabinus and Zea mays in remediation of crude oil-polluted soil samples after 90 days was analysed. Physico-chemical parameters and total petroleum hydrocarbon content of crude oilpolluted soils were analysed. Endophytic bacteria within the roots of H. cannabinus and Z. mays were isolated, tested for their bioremediation potentials and plant growth properties. Additionally, the genomic DNA of isolated endophytic bacteria were analysed for the presence of hydrocarbon degradative genes (Alk B genes). The 16s rRNA amplicons of gDNA of endophytic bacteria isolates were sequenced and phylogenetic tree constructed. Results of the physico-chemical parameters show the pH of the polluted soil from Egbema were acidic (4.8 to 6.6) before plant growth. Moisture content and organic carbon had mean ranges of 10.00- 15.00% and 0.86-2.45% respectively. After planting using H. cannabinus, pH values, moisture content and organic carbon increased to a mean range value of 5.4-6.1 and 15.30-27.90% respectively while organic carbon decreased to a mean range value of 0.45-2.12%. The mean pH, moisture content and organic carbon were within the range 5.2-8.4, 5.00-28.10% and 0.24- 1.84% respectively after plant growth using Z. mays, indicating that Z. mays offered greater remediation than H. cannabinus on oil-polluted soil. Growth performance observed during plant growth revealed that 5ml/5kg crude oil-polluted soil had the highest agronomic parameters, offering the highest crude oil remediation (46.01%) recorded using H. cannabinus, while 5kg Egbema-polluted soil without organic amendment showed the least remediation (4.63%). Similarly, 5ml/5kg crude oil-polluted soil showed the highest crude oil remediation (56.05%) while 5kg Egbema-polluted soil without organic amendment showed the least crude oil remediation (11.04%) after plant growth using Z. mays. A total of 57 endophytic bacteria were isolated from the roots of H. cannabinus and Z. mays. Six endophytic bacteria synthesized indole acetic acid (IAA), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase and siderophores; 14 isolates synthesized IAA and ACC; 16 isolates synthesized IAA and siderophores while 7 isolates synthesized ACC and siderophores at 10.53%, 24.56%, 28.07% and 12.28% respectively. Hydrocarbon degradation potential of isolated bacterial endophytes showed that all isolates (100%) could metabolize 2% (w/v) C6, C8, C10 and 2% (v/v) diesel as alternate sources of carbon in the absence of glucose. Moreover, genomic DNA of endophytic isolates possessed alkane monoxygenase genes responsible for hydrocarbon degradation in bacteria species. Sequenced 16s rDNA amplicons showed similarity of endophytic bacteria from the study to the genera Proteus and Alcaligenes. This study established the presence of Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis and Alcaligenes spp as the predominant endophytic bacteria within the roots of the phytoremediation plants H. cannabinus and Z. mays. Additionally, the presence of alkane monooxygenase genes and the ability of endophytic bacteria isolates to grow on diesel oil and n-alkanes served as an indication of the potential application of the isolates in bioremediation activities
Development of hybrid clustering algorithm for efficient medical resources allocation.
No full textMaster’s thesis on "development of hybrid clustering algorithm". It contains diagrams, graphs, tables and picturesEfficient medical resource allocation is a critical challenge in healthcare systems, particularly with increasing demand and limited resources for managing in-patient and out-patient treatment datasets. This project is motivated by the need to address this challenge, as clustering algorithms offer a promising approach for grouping healthcare data, enabling more effective distribution of medical resources. This project aimed to develop a hybrid clustering algorithm that combines the strengths of density-based and partitioning methods to optimize medical resource allocation. The project used a combination of K-representative and K-means clustering algorithms. Adopting the Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) methodology, the proposed algorithm analyzes medical datasets to produce more effective clusters, revealing insights that enhance resource distribution. The hybrid algorithm, implemented using the JAVA object-oriented programming tool, generated better-defined clusters of in-patients and out-patients, providing actionable knowledge and intelligence for optimizing medical resource allocation. The results demonstrate the algorithm's potential to improve decision-making in healthcare systems by enhancing the efficiency of resource allocation. The findings further suggest that this hybrid algorithm can serve as a robust tool for healthcare providers, contributing to more efficient resource management and better patient outcomes