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Biostratigraphical investigation of middle-early Miocene sediments from a section of AK-1 well, onshore Niger Delta: Insights from calcareous nanofossils
Get PDFBiostratigraphic analysis was carried out on KA-1 well, onshore Niger Delta Basin of Nigeria. A total of forty (40) ditch cutting samples were collected from the studied section at 30 feet depth intervals with the studied section ranging from 7590-4800feet. The objectives of this study are to determine the age and biozonation of the studied section. Using simple smear slide method, the samples were processed and analyzed for nannofossils using a reflected binocular microscope. Calcareous nannofossil assemblages from the well are of low diversity and abundance. Some depths yielded almost monospecific assemblages while some have no records of calcareous nannofossils. Species include Helicospharea ampliaperta, Sphenolithus heteromorphus, Cyclicargolithus floridanus, Helicospharea scissura and Discoaster deflander. These belong to the NN4 zone of middle to early Miocene age.
Keywords: Biozonation, Calcareous nannofossils, Helicospharea ampliaperta, Oligotrophic, Niger Delta
Inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus fermentii and Lactococcus lactis against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms
Get PDFProbiotics and their derivatives are becoming increasingly popular in the fight against pathogenic biofilms. This research work explores the use of probiotic bacteria and their potential as antimicrobial agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and the infections they cause. P. aeruginosa strains were grown on LB (Lysogeny Broth) for 24 hours and characterized using biochemical tests. The biofilm-forming strains were quantified using polystyrene microtiter-plates in a spectrophotometric assay supplemented with M63 minimal media. LAB (Lactobacillus fermentii and Lactococcus lactis) were isolated from fermented maize paste (ogi), Cheese (Waara), Fura and fermented milk (Nunu) on Skim milk agar and were characterized based on colony morphology, cell morphology and biochemical tests. From the isolates, two strains of LAB were selected as probiotics. They were tested for their inhibitory potential against biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa using liquid co-culture assay. The Lactic acid content and Hydrogen Peroxide was estimated by titration for three days. Lactococcus lactis had more stable lactic acid production than Lactobacillus fermentii (2.70 g/L) although both peaked on Day 2 with Lactococcus lactis producing slightly more lactic acid (2.72 g/L). With liquid co-culture assay, there was a 63% decrease observed in the optical density of biofilms.
Keywords: Probiotics, Lactic Acid Bacteria, Biofilm, Lactic acid, Lactobacillus fermentii, Lactococcus lactis, Pseudomonas aeruginos
Signal Extraction from the Bond Market and Inflation Forecasting in Nigeria
Get PDFThe study seeks to examine the bond market information content and its implications for forecasting inflation in Nigeria and the influence bond market is having in predicting monetary policy outcome. The study is predicated on the premises that are enunciated in the Expectations Theory of Term Structure. The theory suggests that interest rates and prices are driven by expectations. ARIMA model was estimated using monthly data on inflation rate and government bond for the period of 2006-2019. The study finds that: is a significant relationship between Signal Extraction from bond market and inflation forecasting in Nigeria and that inflation is more likely to move upward; the influence of bond market in prediction of monetary policy outcome is not accurate; and the bond market cannot provide useful information for monetary policy and has no significant role to play in the monetary policy. From these findings, the study recommends that before deciding on operational target variables that will affect individual welfare, monetary authorities should first identify the source of current economic shocks in the economy.
Keywords
Inflation rate, bond market, ARIM
Geophysical Investigation of Groundwater Potential using Dar Zarook Parameters in shallow aquifers of Northeastern part of Osogbo, Nigeria
Get PDFThe groundwater potential and aquifer protective capacity in the Kasmo Area of Osogbo were investigated using the Dar Zaroouk approach via the Schlumberger technique of electrical resistivity method. Five vertical electrical soundings (VES) points were occupied and surveyed using the ABEM SAS 1000 terrameter. The field data were first interpreted using the partial curve matching and later iterated using the WinResist software. The resistivities and thicknesses of the geoelectric layers were used to compute the longitudinal conductance and transverse resistance. These were later used to compute the hydraulic conductivity and transmittivity of the aquifers. Three to five geo-electric layers aquifer layers show a confined to semi-confined configuration with the aquiferous layer occupying the second, third and fourth layers. The resistivities vary from 66.5 Ωm in VES 4 to 141.9 Ωm in VES 3. The longitudinal conductance also varies between 0.0366 Ω-1 in VES 3 to 0.0074 Ω-1 in VES 1 while the transverse resistance varies between 34.8 Ωm2 in VES 3 to 1043.8 Ωm2 in VES 5. The transmittivity values were observed to range from 20736.10 m2/day in VES 3 to 287787.81 m2/day in VES 4, the aquifers possess high groundwater potential with transmittivity values far above the Offodile classification of aquifer potential limit of 500 m2/day. The investigation concluded that aquifer potential determination through the estimation of Dar Zarook parameters gives a better aquifer potential determination than the conventional resistivity method, as the method compares the potential of all points at once.
Keywords: Aquifer, Kasmo, Longitudinal, Resistance, Resistivity, Transvers
Impact of Work-life Balance on Employees’ Performance among Workers of Private Universities in Osun State, Nigeria
Get PDFWork-life balance has become an issue of great concern to various employees in both private and public sectors. This study examines the impact of work-life balance on job performance among employees of selected private universities in Osun State. The specific objectives of the study are to assess the significant impact of organizational support on employee job satisfaction, and examined the significant impact of leisure-time management on employee job commitment, which is also in line with the research questions and hypotheses. Descriptive survey research design is adopted, the population of the study is 210 academic staff of two selected private universities in Osun State and sample size was equivalent to the number of the research population without the use of any formula since the population of the study is small. Data for this study was generated from primary source using structured questionnaire from 210 academic staff of Fountain University and Redeemer’s University in Osun State. The data obtained was analyzed using regression analysis with the aid of SPSS package. The findings from the study reveal that organizational support have significant influence on employees’ job satisfaction (r2=0.416, p<0.05). the study also reveals that leisure-time management has significant impact on employee job commitment (r2=0.546, p<0.05). The study concludes that organizational support and leisure-time management has significant impact on employee’s job performance in selected private universities. Therefore, the study recommends that management should design policies that consider the job satisfaction of employees, balance work and social time
Which is Impactful in Nigeria? Investigative or Social Justice Journalism Practice: Evidence from Fisayo Soyombo\u27s Journalism Practice
Get PDFNigeria, as a country in the global south, has media establishments and journalists covering socio-economic and political issues to hold stakeholders accountable. ‘Fisayo Soyombo, an award-winning journalist, reports these issues using investigative and social justice journalism. He recently founded his own media organization to expand his investigative approach in collaboration with other media establishments. Leveraging on background and propositions of media practice model, goal orientationand fraud detection theories, this study examined ‘Fisayo Soyombo’s selected works in investigative and social justice journalism, considering their impact in Nigeria. “Impact” was measured by the attention each selected story received from stakeholders. Data were gathered using Open Profiling of Quality and Content Analysis, with Data Logging, Open Content Categories and Protocols guiding datacollection. Results indicate the potential of these journalism practices for sustainable socio-economic and political development in Nigeria
Cervical Cancer Screening and Vaccination: Profiling Determining Factors Influencing Uptake among Health Workers in Abuja, Nigeria
Get PDFCervical Cancer (CC) remains one of the leading causes of death among reproductive-age females globally. Screening and vaccination of CC are still low among females, hence the increase in the death toll from the disease. This study investigated the factors influencing the uptake of cervical cancer screening and vaccination among reproductive-age female workers at selected hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria. Using a descriptive quantitative design, self-administered questionnaires were used to gather data from a total of 160 participants. The validity and reliability of the instrument were ensured with a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.899. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at p <0.05 significance level using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. Good knowledge and poor attitudes about cervical cancer screening and vaccination were documented in this study. As reported in this study, identified factors influencing the uptake of CC screening include the cost of screening and vaccination, availability of service, economic status of the individual, and level of education. There was no significant relationship between the level of knowledge of cervical screening and vaccination and the uptake among the participants (p=0.178). Our study suggests that knowledge did not translate into the uptake of cervical cancer screening among study participants. Other factors were responsible. Therefore, multi-dimensional approaches toward addressing limiting factors to the uptake of cervical cancer screening and vaccination should be encouraged. Making screening facilities available and at a subsidised rate may encourage increased uptake. Continuous public health education and enlightenment are also recommended.
Keywords: Cervical Cancer, Screening Uptake, Influencing Factors, Reproductive Age Women
Perception of Lagos Health Workers on the Influence of COVID 19 Vaccine Frames in the Print Media
Get PDFThis study investigated how COVID-19 vaccine frames in print media influence the perceptions of health workers at Infectious Disease Hospital Lagos (IDHL). Using a survey method, a sample of 161 respondents was generated from a population of 270 health workers at IDH, based on Taro Yamani’s formula. The study, which was anchored on framing theory, found that health workers at IDHL were influenced by the print media\u27s COVID-19 vaccine frames, with an overall result of 47% (M=2.49,SD=1.28). Furthermore, the study revealed that more than half (65.48%) of the infectious disease health workers in Lagos perceived COVID-19 vaccine frames in print media, as shown by their mean (M=3.27, SD=1.17). The research concluded that print media frames of COVID-19 vaccines can have desirable effects on perceptions that fuel vaccine hesitancy, as well as promote desirable health perceptions that can increase vaccine uptake. However, media frames that provoke fear can indirectly instil fear in people, preventing them from taking the vaccines. Therefore, the study recommends that the print media assume more social responsibility roles in health promotion through media framing
Impact of Staff Remuneration on the Performance of Journalists in Osun State
Get PDFThe study examined the impact of remuneration on the performance of journalists using selected journalists from media houses in Osun State. The paper adopted a survey method. It was guided by Social Theory of Journalism developed by Dennis McQuail, and Equity Theory propounded by John Adam. Findings revealed that journalists in Osun State were poorly remunerated. It was discovered that better pay for journalists will lead to better performance as the remuneration received is directly linked to the performance of journalists. Findings also showed that prevailing wage rate and ability of organisations to pay are the key factors that are responsible for the payment of remuneration of journalists in the state, which affects journalist’s editorial decision and ability to uphold the ethics of journalism leading to taking gratifications. The study recommended that media establishments should work out different types of remunerations. Other benefits for the staff (both cash and non-cash based) and should be paid as and when due. To upscale the performance of journalists, media organisations should ensure that journalists are well remunerated in order to carry out their functions satisfactorily. This paper concluded that remuneration impacts the performance of journalists in four ways out of six areas that were measured. It was equally concluded that staff remuneration affects the editorial independence of journalists and their ability to uphold the ethics of journalism. The study also concluded that remunerations and other benefits determine to a large extent, how journalists perform their professional functions and obey the guiding principles of their profession
Electoral Integrity and Good Governance in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of 2015 and 2019 Presidential Elections
Get PDFMost scholars of electoral politics regard election as the institutionalised means of mass political participation by citizens of a country and a basic means by which people in a democracy hold the government accountable. At the turn of the new millennium, countries around the world have been confronted with major challenges in meeting international standards of electoral integrity. There is a widespread and growing concern that elections globally are marred by serious problems. Nigeria as a country is not immune from these global challenges that have whittled down the integrity of the electoral process. This research examines the relationship between the variables of electoral integrity, and good governance in Nigeria. As a bi-variate study, the research adopts the mixed research method in which both primary and secondary sources of data were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. The study has a population of 1200 respondents from three states in Nigeria (Kwara, Ekiti and Rivers) using the Taro Yamane statistical formulae. To complement this, forty-five interviewees were purposively selected for both Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Key Informant Interviews (KII). The study is situated within the prisms of the Principal-Agency-Theory. Findings from the study revealed significant impact of electoral integrity on good governance in Nigeria. Other findings from the study show that the preponderance of post election violence in the 2019 presidential election is attributed to deficiency in electoral integrity. The study recommends the need for significant improvement in the integrity quotient of elections as precondition for the global desire for good governance.
Keywords
Elections, electoral integrity, good governance, democracy, Nigeri