Why integrating non-military actors in security strategies can stabilise the Lake Chad region

The Regional Stabilisation Strategy is illustrative of a development model that can build local resilience to counter transnational terror threats. It seeks to incorporate non-military actors in efforts to consolidate the gains of security forces as well as sustainably address the root causes of conflict in the Lake Chad region

The phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial screening of extracts of Olax subscorpioidea

The antimicrobial activities of the aqueous and ethanoic extracts of the stem of Olax subscorpioidea were evaluated. The ethanoic extract showed considerable activity on both the fungi and bacteria with zones of inhibition ranging from 7.2 mm to 21.5 mm, with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 5 to 45 mg/ml, while the aqueous extract was only active against three of the test organisms used. Phytochemical test reveals the presence of alkaloids, steroids, and flavonoids together with otheractive ingredients in the ethanoic extract with the exception of saponins which is present in the aqueous extract alone

Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model (JCM) and Akwa Ibom State Civil Servants’ Performance

The Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model (JCM) has been widely used to determine whether or not certain core features of jobs do evoke some psychological reactions by workers. This study was motivated and prompted by the seemingly paucity of research on the validity of the model within an African setting. The study investigated the validity of the model with regards to Akwa Ibom State Civil Service and reveals that the civil service work settings create a serious relationship between the psychological well beings of civil servants, their growth, development and internal motivation. The study concludes that the model is valid in both European and African settings and in manufacturing and service oriented organizations as well. It therefore, recommends that the administrators in the civil service should acknowledge individual differences because different people would respond differently to work enrichment in an organizational setting

Toxin production in food as influenced by pH, thermal treatment and chemical preservatives

Sixteen foods borne bacteria were isolated from raw food samples including okro, carrot, spinach, pepper, tomato, onion and cooked food samples (rice, yam, beans, meat and plantain). The isolateswere characterized and identified as Bacillus brevis, Bacillus congulans, Bacillus polymyxa, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Acinetobacter spp., Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella aerogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Alcaligenes spp., Corynebacterium spp., Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter spp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis. These isolates were screened on egg yolk agar fortoxigenic properties and thirteen of the sixteen were positive for toxin production while three were negative. Six out of the thirteen toxigenic bacterial were selected for further work. These were; E. coli,K. aerogenes, C. freundii, B. polymyxa, S. epidermidis and E. aerogenes. The effect of pH, thermal treatment and chemical preservatives on the growth rate and toxin elaboration of E. coli, K. aerogenes, C. freundii, B. polymyxa, S. epidermidis and E. aerogenes was studied. It was observed that E. coli had no viable growth until 48 h of incubation, while the other five isolates had visible growth right from the 24 h of incubation. Also E. coli did not produce toxin until the 96th hour of incubation; K. aerogenes and E. aerogenes were able to produce toxin at 24 h of incubation, while C. freundii, B. polymyxa and S.epidermidis produced toxin at 48 h of incubation. Also, 44°C was not suitable for toxin production. pH 3 and 5 were less favorable for toxin production despite the fact that isolates were able to grow at different temperature and pH ranges. The isolate were more sensitive to sodium metabisulfite than benzoic acid. Also, E. coli and K. aerogenes were able to elaborate toxin in their dormant state with 750mg of sodium metabisulfite

Corporate Governance Parctices and Chanllenges in Africa

This paper examined the practice of corporate governance in developing countries, and specifically in Africa. To carry out the exercise, the efficacy of corporate governance mechanisms and legal (legislation) framework were examined. The paper observed a weak or non-existing compliance and/or enforcement of corporate governance legislation. It concludes that corporate governance in most African countries is ineffective, inefficient and has ultimately failed. The paper therefore, recommends that for African countries to reap the benefits of effective corporate governance there is the need to review existing legislations and to strengthen the enforcement mechanism of the regulatory institutions. Key Words: Governance, Stewardship, Stakeholders, Ethics, Accountability

Time-dependent stability of used engine oil degradation by cultures of Pseudomonas fragi and Achromobacter aerogenes

Pseudomonas fragi and Achromobacter aerogenes isolated from used engine oil polluted soils were grown in minimal salts medium (MSM) supplemented with used engine oil as sole carbon and energysource to evaluate their ability to biodegrade used engine oil. The two organisms utilized 73.3 and 80.0% of the oil with a degradation rate of 0.073 and 0.08 ml/day respectively. The utilization rate of themixed culture did not differ significantly with an 80.0% utilization and 0.08 ml/day degradation rate. However the rate of utilization was reduced significantly after repeated sub culturing of the organismson nutrient agar for six months with percentage utilization dropping to 33.3, 26.7 and 30.0% respectively for A. aerogenes, P. fragi and the mixed culture. This suggests that the presence of hydrocarbons in thegrowth medium is necessary for the stability of hydrocarbon utilization potentials of the isolates

Microbial Decolourization of Cibacron Scarlet and Remazol Blue Dyes

Eleven microorganisms that include six bacteria: Proteus mirabilis (LS), Proteus vulgaris (LE), Bacillus alvei (LS), Proteus mirabilis (AS), Bacillus polymyxa (AS), Bacillus alvei (AE), and five fungi: Penicillium antrovenetium (LS), Rhizopus oryzae (LEM), Penicillium funiculosum (LE), Rhizopus oryzae (LS) and Candida valida (LEM) were isolated from the effluent and soil samples collected from the premises of a textile manufacturing and local dyeing industries. The BOD and COD of the effluents collected from these industries were found to be relatively higher than the Nigeria Federal Environmental Protection Agency permissible level.Increase in decolourization of Cibacron Scarlet was observed for all the isolates on day 5, seven of which showed decolourization greater than 50%. The highest decolourization of 85.7% was observed with P. mirabilis (AS) and R. oryzae (LS) had the lowest decolourization of 50.7%. B. alvei (LS) showed 74.8% decolourization of Remazol Blue on day 3, but decrease in the decolourization was observed for this organism on day 5. All the isolates showed decrease in the decolourization of Remazol blue at day 5 with the exception of three isolates; P. mirabilis (LS), B. polymyxa (AS) and R. oryzae (LS) with 46.3% and 64.1%, 54.1% and 67.8%, and 54.1% and 58.8%, respectively, on day 3 and day 5. Decolourization pH for Cibacron Scarlet by the bacterial isolates was slightly alkaline (8.5 – 8.8) and acidic (3.4 – 4.4) for the fungal isolates. Increase in bacterial count and fungal mycelia weight was observed as the decolourization progress. Thus, results obtained from this study revealed the decolourization potential of indigenous effluent and soil adapted microorganisms in decolourization of textile dyes

Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation from Telecommunication Base Stations on Microbial Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance

We aimed to investigate the effects of radiofrequency radiation from telecommunication on bacteria diversity and antibiotic sensitivity of surrounding bacteria micro-flora. In all cases of bacteria isolated, results indicated that radiation majorly influences and selected bacteria of specific morphology (rod-like, gram positive and spore formers) belonging to the genera Bacillus, Clostridium, Corynebacterium and Sporosarcina. Spore formation have been associated with prevention of DNA damage, this suggest that radiation may imposes stress detrimental to various non-spore forming, gram negative bacteria of nonrod morphology. The antibiotic resistance pattern indicated resistance above 50% in three of the ten common antibiotics tested with the highest of 96% recorded against zinnacef, followed by amoxicillin (70%) and ampiclox (56%). The highest resistance recorded was attributed to Bacillus spp while lowest resistance was recorded in Corynebacterium. The two largest groups of isolates; Bacillus and Clostridium have been reported as human pathogens and found to be multidrug resistant. © JASE

Microbiological evaluation and antimicrobial resistant pattern of bacteria isolated from surface drinking water sources in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

Water is vital for life, but in contrast, it might serves as the commonest route of transmission for many infectious diseases. This study was carried out to examine the quality of drinking water from two selected surface water within Ogbomoso. Water samples were collected from both water bodies at different points. Most Probable Number (MPN) techniques and pour plate method were used to estimate the bacteriological quality of water samples. The antibiotic sensitivity test was carried out on the isolated organisms, while heavy metals parameters were assessed with standard methods. Water samples were analyzed for faecal sterols. Results of MPN counts (49 to 1600 MPN per 100ml) and total heterotrophic counts (0.15×106 to 1.36×107 CFU/mL) revealed a high level of microbial pollution. Ten genera of bacteria; Shigella, Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Escherichia, Salmonella, Vibrio, Citrobacter and Klebsiella were isolated and they all showed multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) to all the antibiotics used. The multiple antibiotics resistant (MAR) index ranged from 0.63 to 0.75 and 0.63 to 0.88 for the isolates from Papa –Osiagoro and Oke- Baaki water works respectively. The heavy metals analyzed fell within the limits set by Nigerian Standards for potable waters with exception of Zn which had high concentrations across the sampling points. Water samples showed the presence of high concentrations of feacal sterols. The presence of coliforms and other pathogenic organisms present in these surface water bodies have shown that they are highly contaminated. Thus, the water is not fit for human consumption due to feacal contamination.Keywords: Ogbomoso, Microbial pollution, Antibiotic resistance, Heavy metals, feacal sterol

Biological studies on albino rats fed with Sorghum bicolorstarch hydrolyzed with &#8733-amylase from Rhizopus sp.

Partially purified amylase was extracted from the culture medium of Rhizopus sp. grown in potato dextrose broth for 48 h at room temperature by precipitation with 96.9% ethanol. The enzyme was usedto hydrolyze sorghum starch. The hydrolyzed product was afterwards formulated into rat feed, which was fed to albino rats for a period of thirty days. The average daily body weight of the albino rats fed with hydrolyzed formulated feed on the 30th day of the experiment was 131 g while the values recorded for the groups fed with unhydrolyzed and commercial feed were 120 and 97.4 grams respectively. Thehematological analysis revealed that the packed cell volume (PCV), Hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of the group fed with hydrolyzed formulated feed of 51.8%, 16.9 g/dl, 8.7 x 105 ƒÊl-1 and 32.7%, respectively, were higher than the experimental animals fed with commercial feed with values of 44.2%, 14.4 g/dl, 7.7 x 10